REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
RENEWABLES ENERGY PROJECTS UPDATE REPORT – 1 JUNE 2021
1 Electranet Project Energy Connect – Interconnector
Electranet have announced on 31 May 2021 that the Australian Energy Regulator has approved the expenditure of $2.28 billion to deliver the project from Robertstown to Wagga Wagga in NSW. This includes $457 million for Electranet to construct the South Australian section of the project. Transgrid has made an investment decision to proceed with the NSW section of the project & the Electranet Board will consider it’s final investment decision in the first week of June.
I have been in contact with the management of the 2 contractors that are tendering for the position of Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) contractor to the Interconnector project. These companies are Downer Utilities & UGL. They are very keen to use local accommodation, business services & labour as part of their tender.
I have prepared & provided a costing of a local accommodation proposal for approximately 130 workers being housed for 12 months in furnished residential housing as well as the normal tourist type accommodation of motels, hotels, caravan parks, cottages & bed & breakfast housing.
I understand that the tenders have to be lodged by July & then an appointment of the contractor will be made soon after.
The project is planned to commence at the end of the year or early 2022.
Given that the South Australian section of the project goes from Robertstown to the border east of Renmark, the contractors have also asked whether the accommodation model developed for the Goyder region can be simulated in the region from Morgan to Paringa. I am in the process of making preliminary enquiries through Regional Development Australia – Murraylands & Riverland, to engage the 4 local councils in this Riverland to assist in this accommodation exercise. These are the Mid-Murray Council, Loxton/Waikerie Council, Berri/Barmera Council & Renmark/Paringa Council.
2 Neoen – Goyder Renewables Zone
I met with the local Community Coordinator, Hannah Willson in early May & had a productive discussion re using local accommodation, business services & labour for up to 300 workers on the project.
David Stevenson, CEO of the Regional Council of Goyder & Bill Gebhardt, councillor of the Regional Council of Goyder, met with senior management of Neoen near Burra on 31 May 2021 to discuss ongoing progress on the project. Neoen are in the process of appointing an EPC contractor, as well as continuing soil testing & then commencing light civil construction work with a planned commencement date at the end of this year.
3 EPS Energy – Robertstown Solar
EPS Energy announced on 4 May 2021 the selection of Amp Energy as the successful development partner to progress the EPS Solar & Storage facility at Robertstown.
EPS Energy will now be progressing the project through to the pre-construction phase with the initial works to include geotechnical investigations, further biodiversity assessment & the completion of heritage studies. Amp Energy says it expects the project to commence “stage energisation” in late 2022, which suggests construction will have to start late this year or early 2022.
I will obtain further updates from the management of the May Bros – Solar River Project, Green Gold Energy – Australia Plains Project and the RES – Twin Creek project for my next full report in August 2021.
The Robertstown Power Sub Station project is now winding down & is expected to be completed by June/July.
The Regional Council of Goyder Website now has a Renewable Energy section under the Development tab. This has been developed recently and includes a summary and links to the various projects as well as my recent Renewables Reports. The link is: www.goyder.sa.gov.au/development/renewables
The March 2021 report is also on the Eudunda Community Business & Tourism (ECBaT) website at the following link:
www.ecbat.biz/renewables-projects-update-march-2021/
As the commencement dates of the various projects comes closer, further community advertisements will be circulated to refresh & enlarge the accommodation register that I am maintaining & also to register interest from local residents of the Goyder region as workers on the projects.
Prepared by Mel Zerner
Mobile 0418 852 353