NSW approves supersized 1.3 GW wind project with fewer but bigger turbines

The NSW Labor government has given planning approval to a supersized 1.3 gigawatt (GW) wind project in the state’s central west region that will use fewer but bigger turbines than were approved in the original proposal ticked off six years ago.

The Liverpool Range wind farm, now owned by Tilt Renewables, was given approval in 2018 for a 962 megawatt (MW) project that would include 260 turbines between the villages of Coolah and Cassilis, east of Mudgee, and about 370 kms north-west of Sydney.

In 2022, however, Tilt applied for a modification to allow it to use fewer but bigger turbines that would boost the capacity of the project to 1.332 GW.

Of the 175 community submissions received, 168 objected, and three of the four local councils affected by the project also objected. Most of the objections came from people living within five kms of the project.

In response to the submissions, Tilt further reduced the number of proposed turbines from 220 to 185, and the maximum blade tip height – originally approved at 165 metres – has now been reduced from its requested 250 metres to 215 meters above ground level to reduce visual impacts.

The company will now use Vestas 7.2 MW turbines (pictured above), which the company says has a blade length of 85 m. This equates to a rotor diameter of 172 m, much lower to its previously assumed rotor diameter of 210 m.

Tilt says approval from the state government was given on October 23, although it has only just been formally announced on the state government website.

The NSW government says the $2 billion project will deliver $35 million to local councils through Voluntary Planning Agreements, and will create 550 construction jobs and 47 operational jobs,

It says the project is located within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), the first of a number of REZs the government has created to help organise the new wind, solar and storage capacity to replace its ageing coal generators.

“NSW is leading a once-in-a-generation upgrade of the electricity network by building the infrastructure we need to power our state into the future,” planning minister Paul Scully said in a statement.

“This is a good example of the applicant working with the local community and the final result being material changes to the proposal that address visual impacts.”

The Liverpool Range wind farm still has to get its amendments approved by the federal government. The company was not available on Monday to advise on its hoped for construction timeline.