WestWind Energy has welcomed the Victorian Minister for Planning's approval of the Normanville Energy Park within the North West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), marking a significant milestone for the project and an important step forward in delivering new renewable energy infrastructure for Victoria, Australia.
Located near Kerang in the Gannawarra Shire, the project will deliver a new 122 MW wind energy facility, comprising up to 17 wind turbines and associated electrical infrastructure. Once operational, Normanville Energy Park is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to power approximately 90 000 Victorian homes, supporting Victoria’s transition towards a cleaner, more reliable energy future.
Beyond generating clean, renewable energy, Normanville Energy Park is expected to deliver significant and enduring economic and community benefits for the region over the life of the project. During construction, the project is expected to attract approximately AUS$350 million in investment to Victoria and create up to 60 on-site jobs over a two-year period. Once operational, it will support two to three ongoing local roles.
The project is also expected to contribute more than AUS$900 000 each year to the local economy through community benefit initiatives, neighbour, and host landholder payments, council rates, and ongoing project expenditure. Additional regional investment will be generated by creating opportunities for local businesses, contractors, and service providers throughout construction and operations.
WestWind Energy Managing Director, Tobias Geiger, noted: “The State approval of Normanville Energy Park is an exciting milestone for WestWind Energy and the local region. It reflects years of careful planning, technical assessment and collaboration to deliver a project that will contribute to Victoria’s renewable energy future. We recognise the important role the Victorian Government continues to play in supporting the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure that will help strengthen Victoria's energy system and support regional communities. We would also like to thank our host landholders, Gannawarra Shire Council, government agencies, local stakeholders, and everyone who has contributed throughout the state planning approval process. Their engagement and feedback have helped shape a responsible and well-designed project.”
The planning approval follows several years of detailed project development, including comprehensive environmental and technical assessments and engagement with key stakeholders. The assessment process considered a comprehensive range of matters including biodiversity, landscape, cultural heritage, noise, traffic, aviation, bushfire, and other relevant planning considerations.
Normanville Energy Park has been designed with farmers to ensure existing agricultural activities alongside renewable energy generation, supporting landholder diversification while maintaining productive farming operations.
The project will also support Victoria’s renewable energy ambitions by adding new generation capacity to the electricity network and contributing to the long-term transformation of the state’s energy system.
Tobias Geiger concluded: “WestWind Energy is proud to be continuing our investment in regional Victoria and looks forward to working closely with stakeholders to deliver a project that creates long-term benefits for the region and contributes to Victoria’s clean energy future.”
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