AGL Energy and joint venture partner Meridian Energy has announced that the first turbines have started turning and generated energy at the Macarthur Wind Farm in South Western Victoria after 23 months of construction.

 

The wind farm is located across three properties that are predominately used for sheep and cattle grazing, covering an area of 5,500 hectares.

 

The wind turbines connect at 33kV to the Macarthur substation, where voltage is increased to 132kV and transmitted via overhead lines from the wind farm to the Tarrone substation, where the voltage is further increased to 500kV before connecting into the existing Heywood Moorabool transmission line and the national electricity grid.

 

Construction of the 140 turbine plant is being led by a Leighton Contractors/Vestas Consortium is expected to be completed by early next year, with the plan expected to operate for the coming 25 years.

 

The plant will generate 420 MW of energy, powering over 220,000 homes and abating over 1.7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year.