New Zealand state-owned electricity generator, Meridian Energy, has announced its third wind farm in Australia, the 131 megawatt project to be constructed at Mt Mercer, 30 kilometres south of Ballarat in Victoria.

 

The 64-turbine wind farm will cost about $A260 million, and construction is expected to  begin in December.

 

Meridian also owns and operates the Mt Millar wind farm in South Australia and a joint project with AGL Energy to build the 420MW Macarthur wind farm in western Victoria, which is expected to be the largest in the southern hemisphere.

 

Chief Financial Officer Paul Chambers said in a statement that wind was “well positioned in Australia as the most viable renewable generation technology.”

 

"Australia's renewable energy targets requiring approximately one fifth of electricity generation be produced from renewable sources by 2020 means that generation with a total capacity of more than 80 per cent of New Zealand's entire generation base must be built in Australia by 2020," he said.

 

Meridian has contracted with Repower to provide the turbine technology, Downer EDI for construction and Powercor for the transmission lines at Mt Mercer. The company is also trialling its Powershop retail business in Australia, which it says may be "a natural adjunct" to its renewable energy assets in New Zealand.