Western Australia's Verve Energy Pushes for 250-Megawatt Warradarge Windfarm

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Australia (Perth, Australia)--Verve Energy (Perth, Australia), the leading electricity producer in Western Australia, is seeking approval for a 250-megawatt (MW) windfarm in the remote Mid West region, 270 kilometers north of Perth. The proposed Warradarge windfarm consists of up to 100 wind turbines, each with a maximum blade height of 152 meters.

The Warradarge project has a maximum investment value of $632.35 million and, if approved, will be capable of producing power for 140,000 homes and will displace about 700,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.

Verve Energy recently lodged an application with Western Australia's Environmental Protection Authority for the Warradarge windfarm development. The application outlines plans to construct the windfarm in three phases; the first phase has an expected start date of 2014, with the completion of the third phase by 2020.

The project still needs to receive board and state approval before it can proceed, and the project largely depends on state electricity demand. Verve Energy would also need to construct a 330-kilovolt power line connecting the remote area to the grid.

The announcement comes as the push continues to shift Australia's power generators toward low-emission technology. When in full operation, the Warradarge windfarm would significantly increase Western Australia's share of renewable energy from 9% to 12%.

The development would surpass the Collgar windfarm, which came online in 2011 and is currently the largest privately owned windfarm in Western Australia. Collar generates 206 MW, consists of 111 wind turbines, and costs a total of $790.09 million to develop.

State-owned Verve Energy continues work on the Geraldton project, which is a 55-MW windfarm under construction and expected to come on line in the fourth quarter of this year. Verve Energy engaged Leighton Contractors Pty Limited (Perth) in an engineering, procurement and construction contract and has selected General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) (Perth) as the turbine supplier.

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