AGL Energy Limited (AGL) welcomes today’s announcement by the Office of the Coordinator General (OCG) declaring the proposed Coopers Gap Wind Farm in southern Queensland a Coordinated Project under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971.

Executive General Manager Group Operations, Doug Jackson, said today’s announcement is a significant step forward in progressing the project, which could generate up to 350 jobs at the peak of construction.

“The Coopers Gap Wind Farm remains AGL’s foremost renewable energy project in Queensland with a high quality wind resource and one of the highest average wind speeds in the state.

“It would be the largest wind farm in Queensland with a proposed capacity of up to 350 MW.

“While there is still a long way to go before a final decision can be made on whether the project proceeds to construction, we look forward to working with local government and the community along with other government agencies to deliver the best possible outcome for the region and for Queensland,” Mr Jackson said.

The project is expected to be financed through AGL’s Powering Australian Renewables Fund, currently being established.

According to the OCG the Coopers Gap Wind Farm will require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be prepared and the terms of reference, which will inform the EIS, will be placed on public exhibition in the coming weeks. During this time the general public and government agencies have the opportunity to comment on and make submissions around what they believe should be considered within the EIS.

The Coopers Gap Wind Farm is initially proposed to have a capacity of up to 350 MW, which would produce approximately 1,100 GWh of renewable energy, powering more than 190,000 average Australian homes. The renewable energy produced would reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 860,000 tonnes annually, which is the equivalent of taking over 250,000 cars off the road each year.

About AGL

AGL is one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies. It is taking action to responsibly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while providing secure and affordable energy to its customers. Drawing on over 175 years of experience, AGL serves its customers throughout eastern Australia with meeting their energy requirements, including gas, electricity, solar PV and related products and services. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, solar, landfill gas and biomass.