Work to start on Esperance Wind Farm

15/10/02
Construction of Western Australia's latest wind farm begins in Esperance, on the south coast, within a week.
Energy Minister Eric Ripper said that when the new wind farm of six turbines was completed in June 2003, more than 20 per cent of Esperance electricity would be clean, green, wind energy.
Mr Ripper said Western Power would build the new $10.6million wind farm - to be known as the Nine-Mile Beach Wind Farm - adjacent to the successful Ten-Mile Lagoon Wind Farm, completed by the company almost a decade ago.
"This is a very satisfying result for Western Power, which in the 1980s led Australia into the wind energy scene with the nation's first commercial wind farm at Salmon Beach, also near Esperance," he said.
"Western Power has developed first-class expertise in this specialised field of renewable energy.
"All the environmental, development and internal Western Power approvals have been received for the Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm project and earthworks start on the site within the next week."
The wind farm's six wind turbines will be capable of producing a total of 3.6 megawatts (MW). Ten-Mile Lagoon Wind Farm capacity was two-megawatts (2MW).
Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm's 600-kilowatt wind turbines are some of the most popular and reliable machines in the world. There are several thousand of them operating - mostly in Europe.
Each turbine will sit on a 46m tall tower and carry three 22m-long blades.
An advanced computerised management system to be installed at the existing power station by Northern Territory company Powercorp will control the new wind farm. Experienced German company ENERCON, one of the biggest wind turbine manufacturers in the world, is building the turbines.
These two companies were suppliers for the Albany wind farm, also built by Western Power.
Minister's Office - 9222 8788