AGL secures final approval for $2bn Pottinger Wind Farm in NSW

Energy giant AGL has secured final approval for a mega $2bn wind farm in the Riverina region of NSW.

The 1300MW wind farm, located 60km south of Hay in the state’s south west renewable energy zone, will feature 247 turbines with a maximum tip height of 280m and a centralised 500MW battery storage system.

The project, which is expected to power some 590,000 homes, will connect to the EnergyConnect transmission line, currently being built between South Australia and NSW.

The total size of the farm is an estimated 1069 hectares.

Environment Minister Murray Watt announced his approval on Sunday, saying the farm had the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly three million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

“Not only will this project deliver clean, cheap, and reliable power to the Riverina and surrounds, but it will also improve infrastructure and increase jobs and investment in the local community,” he said.

“During construction, the project will support up to 900 jobs with a further 50 created to support ongoing operations.”

Since 2022, the federal government has greenlit 107 renewable energy projects, he added.

The farm is a joint venture between AGL, backed by tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, and Someva Renewables.

The project has garnered support and opposition.

Hay Shire Council and Edward River Council both back it, but multiple public submissions have expressed reservations about the farm’s impact on the surrounding landscape and the viability of renewables as a reliable energy source.

“We always love driving across the Hay iconic plain, its natural beauty and its quintessential start to be Australian outback,” one wrote in opposing the project.

“Moulamein, all this area, is wonderful. I often bring visitors to Hay and to One Tree, Moulamein, round this area, because this area, in my opinion, will be ruined not only for farming but tourism as well.”

Another argued the state “get back” to coal-fired power.

“We also need to look at the reliability of the entire renewable energy sector,” the person wrote.

“It is not going to be able to do what they tell us it can do. The whole thing is not going to be able to supply Australia with electricity, so therefore we absolutely must get back to coal-fired power, we must get back to possibly looking at nuclear.”

ASX-listed AGL operates Australia’s largest private electricity generation portfolio, with a sweep of coal and gas-fired power plants.

The $6bn company is moving heavily into renewable energy, with a 9.6GW pipeline of hydro, wind, solar and battery projects in development.

The company plans to exit coal entirely by 2050 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

In the 12 months to June 30, AGL reported a net loss of $98m.

Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation came in at just over $2bn, a 9 per cent tumble of the prior year.