More progress on Coopers Gap wind farm
Published Friday, 29 July, 2016 at 11:53 AM
Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham
Progress continues on the $500 million Coopers Gap wind farm near Kingaroy with the release today of terms of reference for its environmental impact statement.
State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the proponent, AGL Energy Ltd, would now examine the potential environmental, economic and social impacts associated with the wind farm.
“This project has the potential to create up to 350 construction and 20 ongoing jobs, as well supply clean, green power to about 190,000 households,” Dr Lynham said.
“Importantly, AGL will identify its proposed mitigation and management strategies in its EIS, and the community will have the opportunity to comment.”
AGL Energy Limited proposes to build and operate a wind farm that could potentially supply power to about 180,000 households from its installed capacity of 350MW and up to 115 wind turbines.
This would be equivalent of taking about 214,000 petrol cars off the road each year.
“This project, should it proceed, will assist in meeting the government’s election commitment to generate 50 per cent of Queensland’s power through renewable energy,” Dr Lynham said.
“Depending on the Coordinator-General’s evaluation, construction could start in late 2017 and take two and half years, making it operational by 2020.
“This project will help us towards our target of having 50 per cent of our energy from renewables by 2030.”
ENDS July 29, 2016
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