Developers of Australia’s Macarthur Wind Farm recently completed financing for the 420-MW project, which it says will be the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest wind farm. Construction already has started at the site in Southwest Victoria. Houston-based KBR Inc. is acting as the owner’s project manager.
Due for completion in 2013, the $1-billion wind farm will produce enough energy to power more than 220,000 homes, according Michael Fraser, chief executive officer and managing director of co-developer AGL Energy Ltd., Sydney. AGL is equal partner in the project with the major New Zealand generator, Meridian Energy Ltd.
Located 230 kilometers west of Melbourne, the farm will be powered by 140 turbines, rated at 3-MW each and supplied by Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems A/S. The turbine order was the company’s largest in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Sean Sutton, president of Vestas Asia Pacific.
Vestas has a joint engineer-procure-construct contract for the wind farm in partnership with Australian contractor Leighton Contractors Pty. Ltd., Chatswood. Leighton, which is handling construction, values its share of the work at $297 million.
