Ark Energy today received planning approval from Tasmania’s Central Highlands Council for the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm, proposed for the state’s Central Highlands region.

Donna Bolton, Ark Energy’s General Manager Development for Tasmania, said she was pleased with the decision, and the project would be an important one for the local area and the state.

“The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm site is an excellent location for wind energy generation. Grid connection is on-site, residual environmental impacts can be managed and the wind resource is excellent. This project will deliver much needed new renewable electricity generation to help Tasmania benefit from its world leading wind resource and achieve its renewable energy target, as well as bring a wide range of benefits for the local community and region.

“We thank our host landowners and community members for their ongoing support, and look forward to progressing the project and providing more information to the growing list of local residents, suppliers and business owners excited by the opportunity to be part of this project. To date we have received interest from 40 Tasmanian-based companies and owners of 50 local properties to provide services and accommodation during construction,” Ms Bolton said.

Council’s approval in its capacity as Planning Authority follows receipt of the Environment Protection Authority Tasmania’s (EPA) environmental conditions set by the Board of the EPA.

The EPA also assessed matters protected under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The EPA found “the proposal is capable of being managed in an environmentally acceptable manner”.

The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm had been in development since 2019 and underwent several design iterations, including removal of 20 wind turbines, to avoid environmental impacts, minimise visual impacts and address community concerns.

“We have worked hard to avoid and minimise potential environmental impacts, and the unavoidable environmental impacts are manageable, as shown by the EPA’s report.

“The Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle has been a key species of focus. Proactive avoidance and the latest technology have been combined to achieve the least impact possible to Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles. Major design revisions have been made to avoid areas used by eagles and the Identiflight curtailment system will be installed across the site to minimise collision risk,” Ms Bolton said.

“We will continue to seek to minimise environmental impacts, be a good neighbour to those around the project area, and work diligently to deliver benefits from the project to the local community and wider region.”

Ark Energy will now consider the conditions issued with the permit approval and looks forward to receiving a final decision under the EPBC Act from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm consists of 47 wind turbines and ancillary infrastructure across several properties used mostly for livestock grazing and forestry, and would have a generation capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW).

This is the first planning approval in Tasmania for Ark Energy and follows approval earlier this year for its 347 MW Bowmans Creek Wind Farm to be located in the NSW Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone. Ark Energy has utility-scale renewable electricity generation projects in development in Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland.