By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG’S $2 billion Bass Strait wind farm, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, faces a major hurdle next week when it goes to a ballot seeking the approval of King Island residents.
Hydro Tasmania’s proposed 200-turbine project would generate 600 megawatts of green power to directly service Geelong via an underwater cable.
The farm would cover about 15 per cent of the island.
Next week’s ballot would have to garner strong community for Hydro Tasmania to proceed with the TasWind plans. The ballot seeks a community nod in order to go ahead to a full feasibility study.
The Independent revealed in January the project had prompted concerns about the wind farm’s potential impact on the endangered orange-bellied parrot, which uses the island as a breeding ground, while independent Senator Nick Xenophon had raised the issues of taxpayer costs and additional coal-generated power to back up the wind farm.
The turbines, utilising prevailing Roaring Forties winds, would generate enough electricity for up to a quarter of a million houses. The wind farm would generate 500 jobs during its two-year construction from 2017 if it goes ahead.
Hydro Tasmania chair Dr David Crean has said the company acknowledged questions about the project and wanted to ensure King Islanders had every opportunity to voice concerns and raise any issues.
A struggle has also emerged between pro-wind power Friends of the Earth and a No Tas Wind Farm Group arguing health, birdlife and land value threats.
Some King Islanders could enjoy a rent windfall from TasWind for hosting the turbines.
Hydro Tasmania hopes to complete its investigations by 2015, begin construction in 2017 and to have the wind farm operational by 2019.
A company spokesperson said research company EMRS would run the survey.
Results were expected to be released by the end of June.
“It is important to note that should the project proceed to the next stage, the community will be consulted throughout the feasibility study and will have several opportunities to provide input, including a further chance to have its say prior to any regulatory development application being submitted,” the spokesperson told the Independent.
“As we have said many times, this project will only proceed with the majority support of the King Island community.”
