Green Gold Energy proposes two large-scale solar farms along SA-NSW Interconnector

Share

Green Gold Energy (GGE) announced plans for two large-scale projects in September, the 185 MW Australia Plains (APSP) and the 120 MW Morgan Solar Farm. Solar on such a scale can generate energy for 180,000 households and cut 500,000 tons of carbon emissions every year. 

At an APSP Community Event held in August at the Eudunda RSL Hall, GGE electrical engineer Alessandro said that the two projects would be situated 50 km apart, with APSP located nearby the Robertstown substation and Morgan next to the North West Bend substation. 

These substations are crucial nodes in the to-be-constructed 900 km SA-NSW Interconnector known as Project Energy Connect (PEC). Indeed, PEC connects the Robertstown substation nearby APSP to the Wagga substation in NSW via north-west Victoria. The Australian Energy Regulator gave the $1.53 billion PEC project its tick of approval in January of this year. So it is encouraging to see renewable energy developers already circling the new lifeline connecting the states. 

No doubt GGE was confident the PEC project would go through, especially considering it is so crucial to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) for the NEM, seeing as the solar developer acquired the land back in 2018. 

The projects are expected to create 600 jobs, including 20 long-term jobs that will extend throughout the 30-year life of the projects. Construction is set to begin in the third quarter of 2021 subject to SA Government and ElectraNet approval, with grid connection expected approximately a year afterwards. 

In a statement GGE said: “The Australia Plains and Morgan projects will be the milestone achievements in the development of solar energy within South Australia.”

This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.