Nexif Energy creates jobs at Lincoln Gap wind farm and Snapper Point power plant
Heading toward $1bn of investment in SA, a power company has given the go-ahead to two projects creating nearly 200 jobs.
SA News
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About 70 jobs will created as the electricity generators leased from the State Government by energy company Nexif are moved to Outer Harbor from the old GM-Holden site at Elizabeth.
A further 110 jobs have been secured near Port Augusta with Nexif giving the go-ahead for the second stage of its Lincoln Gap wind farm to start in September.
And with a third stage of the wind farm now being considered by the State Commission Assessment Panel, Nexif’s investments in SA are heading toward $1bn.
“We are pleased to be on track to complete our plans for South Australia,” Nexif Energy Australia managing director Charles Rattray said.
“To date, Nexif Energy and its financiers have a committed investment of over $500m making it amongst the largest investors in SA.
“By the end of stage 3 at Lincoln Gap wind farm and commissioning at Snapper Point (Outer Harbor) Nexif Energy’s investment in SA will be $1bn.”
The second stage of Lincoln Gap had been stalled following financial problems with the multinational company which had supplied turbines for the first stage.
Nexif has now contacted Danish-based company Vestas to supply and install 24 more turbines, taking capacity to 212MW.
The company has a $160m loan to fund the project from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Westbourne Capital.
The third stage – targeted to begin in late 2002 – would add 42 turbines and create 140 construction jobs.
Development approval has been granted to move the generators, which are being leased for $93.7m for 25 years.
The site at Snapper Point – adjacent to Pelican Point on the northern tip on Lefevre Peninsula – will now be prepared, will the five units moved mid-next year after the summer demand peaks on the power system.
They will be converted from diesel to run on gas and operate from December 2021, helping Nexif offer “firm” or guaranteed power supply.
Energy and Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan welcomed Nexif’s announcement.
“Matching the capacity of the gas turbines at Snapper Point with the wind farm and battery at
Lincoln Gap is an important step in the transformation to a low-cost, low emission electricity system in SA,” he said.