The developer of the 79-turbine wind farm at Berrybank, east of Lismore, is to donate $1.5 million to Corangamite shire to help fund 13 community projects.
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The developer, Global Power Generation Australia (GPG), said the donation was part of its commitment to the local community through the construction phase of the Berrybank Wind farm.
GPG is owned jointly by the Spanish-based Naturgy and the Kuwait Investment Authority.
It has made an in-principle commitment to support the following projects between 2019-2021:
- Camperdown Botanic Gardens Project
- Theatre Royal Redevelopment
- Corangamite Shire Energy Efficiency Pilot Project
- Darlington Hall Upgrade
- Derrinallum Recreation Reserve Changeroom Upgrade
- Glenormiston Hall Upgrade
- Lismore Creek Project
- Lismore Swimming Pool Wet Deck
- Northern Towns Tourism Project
- Two Public Art Installations
- Skipton Recreation Reserve Changeroom Upgrade
- Terang Lake Redevelopment
- Bradvale (north of Lismore) Hall Upgrade
Corangamite mayor Neil Trotter welcomed the company’s commitment to the people of Corangamite.
“It’s great to see GPG demonstrating corporate citizenship and investing in the future prosperity of the shire,” Cr Trotter said.
“They have shown leadership in setting this precedent and we hope any future developers will follow their example.”
Work on 43-turbine stage one will start in mid-February and will be completed by September 2020.
Up to an additional 36 turbines will be constructed as part of Stage Two, with a commencement date to be confirmed. About half the wind farm is in Corangamite and the other half in Golden Plains Shire.
GPG has also appointed a community and stakeholder engagement manager to work with landholders, neighbours, council and local communities through the construction and operation of the development.
The Berrybank wind farm will straddle the Hamilton Highway with most of the turbines on the highway’s northern side.
It is one of four south-west wind farm projects that will begin construction this year, bring about $1.45 billion in investment.
The projects will erect another 170 wind turbines in the region, creating hundreds of jobs and hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy.