Potentia backs Cohuna upgrade to deliver improved solar farm

Potentia Energy, formerly Enel Green Power Australia, has confirmed there has been no output from the 27 MW Cohuna Solar Farm in northern Victoria since early 2024 when “sitewide component failure” prompted it to be taken off-line.

“Throughout 2024, Potentia Energy undertook an extensive scope of remediation and upgrades to address operational challenges and enhance the Cohuna Solar Farm’s performance,” the company said in an emailed statement.

“This work is aimed at restoring the site to full capacity, with operations expected to resume in the first quarter of this year.”

The upgrade works started just months after Energy Safe Victoria had directed Potentia to cease generating power at the Cohuna Solar Farm after investigations into a November 2023 grass fire raised concerns about some equipment used at the facility.

In December 2023, the company announced the facility had resumed partial operations but energy market analysis platform WattClarity last week identified that there has been “absolutely no output from the farm since early April 2024.”

Potentia said the long off-line period had allowed for upgrades, including replacing some components such as DC cables and cable connections at the facility located near Horfield, about 250 kilometres northwest of the state capital Melbourne.

The company said it expects the works to deliver “improved quality, reliability, and an increase to the expected lifespan of the asset” which began operations in 2021.

The Cohuna Solar Farm is part of a growing portfolio being progressed in Australia by Potentia, a joint venture entity owned by Italian utilities giant Enel Group and Japanese oil and gas major Inpex.

Potentia currently has three other operating plants, including the 220 MW Bungala solar farm in South Australia, and a 75 MW wind farm in Western Australia.

The 93 MW Girgarre solar project is also under commissioning in Victoria and construction is underway on the 98 MW Quorn Park solar and battery project in New South Wales.

Potentia said it also has rights secured for a development pipeline of more than 7 GW across Australia with battery storage a key focus. It has also bought the Tallawang solar and battery project in the central west of NSW that could combine 500 MW of solar with a 500 MW / 1,000 MWh battery.