Epuron’s proposed White Rock Wind Farm has received planning approval from the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure. This is an important milestone for the project, which is located west of Glen Innes in northern NSW.

White Rock Wind Farm comprises 119 wind turbines, with sufficient generation to provide clean renewable energy for 130,000 homes. Importantly, the project will also save 754,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions per annum.

“Epuron acknowledges the involvement and support of the landowners and the local community in developing the wind farm,” Epuron Construction Manager Andrew Wilson said. “We look forward to continuing those relationships as we work towards construction of the wind farm."

Epuron now aims to complete the grid connection studies which are currently underway and secure an agreement with one of the major electricity retailers to buy the electricity produced by the wind farm.

Ongoing Benefits

The wind industry has the potential to contribute significant economic growth in rural and regional NSW through the creation of jobs and local investment during the development and construction of wind farms and also through their lifecycle of operation.

NSW has the potential to attract $10 billion in private sector investment in the NSW power industry, most of which will be spent in rural areas and create NSW-based jobs.

In addition to these clear economic benefits, wind farms in NSW:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity of power generation in the state;
• Support rural and communities through ongoing income to farmers and other landowners and investment in regional towns;
• Reduce electricity price increases resulting from the exposure to carbon pricing and increasing costs of coal and gas;
• Help to drought-proof NSW, where large coal fired power stations rely on fluctuating availability of valuable potable water;
• Reduce pollution and health impacts and health costs associated with fossil fuel power generation, therefore reducing a future burden on the State’s budget; and,
• Increase the capacity and diversity of electricity generation in NSW.

Growing Demand

The demand for projects like the White Rock Wind Farm is driven by the Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). The NSW government’s 'NSW 2021 - A Plan to make NSW number one' also commits NSW to achieving 20% renewable energy by 2020 and highlights the benefits of NSW capturing its share of the planned wind farm developments.

About White Rock Wind Farm

Epuron has been working on the White Rock Wind Farm since 2010. After an extensive community consultation program, Epuron submitted the development application and Environmental Assessment (EA) in January 2011. The EA was on placed public exhibition in May and June 2011. Epuron lodged the Submissions Report to the Department of Planning in December 2011 addressing the issues raised through public consultation and.