Dundonnell Wind Farm project reaches financial close

Tilt Renewables, owner of the $560 million Dundonnell Wind Farm in the Western District of Victoria, yesterday announced that it has reached financial close on the project. It has since appointed energy company AusNet Services to help connect the 336 MW wind farm to the National Energy Market.

AusNet Services has been contracted to build, own and operate approximately 38 km of new transmission line and a new substation connecting the Dundonnell Wind Farm to the nearby Mortlake Terminal Station. These assets will enable energy to enter the Victorian electricity network from the wind farm, which will comprise 80 wind turbines and produce enough clean energy to power approximately 245,000 homes each year.

“AusNet Services is proud to partner with Tilt Renewables for this significant wind farm development that will support Western Victoria’s energy supply system and contribute to job growth in regional Victoria,” said AusNet Services’ Executive General Manager Commercial Energy Services, Chad Hymas. “We will also work together with Tilt Renewables to ensure that the local community is informed and respected throughout the works.”

Deion Campbell, Chief Executive of Tilt Renewables, said the Dundonnell Wind Farm development has been driven by the community — but as the number of renewable energy projects has increased, there was concern about the potential for duplication of high-voltage transmissions lines criss-crossing the countryside.

“Tilt Renewables wants the Dundonnell Wind Farm to be a project that the Dundonnell community can be truly proud of and benefit from,” Campbell said. “We have worked closely with AusNet Services over a long period to create a network solution to reduce the amount of transmission line infrastructure.”

Work on site will commence in January 2019 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2020. It is the seventh project of its kind over the last two years for AusNet Services.

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