4 MARCH 2020
ISSUE 184
YOUR REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWS
Preparation works underway for 220,000 solar panel farm R
oadworks along Ruttleys Rd at Mannering Park have started in preparation for a huge solar farm on Delta Electricity land. Delta’s Company Secretary, Steve Gurney, said the road is currently being realigned to provide for a left turn into the ash dam property where the solar project will be installed. “A slight bend in the road will be straightened and these works should make it safe for both traffic turning into the ash dam and through traffic,” Gurney said. When roadworks are complete, there will be turning lanes from both directions into the property. The solar project is a power partnership between Enernet Global and Delta Electricity. Enernet will finance and construct the solar farm and sell the power to Delta, who will distribute it through the national
This solar farm at Moree is a similar size to the one to be built at Mannering Park electricity grid. and doing the studies the most appropriate firm within the 1,730ha Vales Point power station Delta will also use required to support an to build the project. application to connect landholding. power from the solar “Delta and Enernet are project in its retail the solar farm to the grid. also actively working The $75M project is business and ensuring a “Connection studies to finalise the site lease expected to create 100 significant contribution have progressed well and agreement, and Enernet construction jobs and to state and federal we expect to submit our expects site works to five full time ongoing government renewable application to AusGrid begin in late third quarter positions. energy targets. within a few weeks,” he of this calendar year,” The solar farm Gamble said. Enernet’s Chief said. is expected to be Operating Officer, “On the construction The solar field will be operational by the end of Simon Gamble, said planning side, we have on about 80ha of the the year. they were now working engaged widely with rehabilitated portion There will be about on preliminary designs contractors to identify of the 524ha ash dam,
220,000 solar panels which will generate enough electricity to power 20,000 homes annually and save 116,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year. Vales Point solar farm will have an estimated life of 30 years when it would be either rejuvenated or decommissioned. Solar projects are highly reversible after decommissioning, with all above ground infrastructure able to be removed. Over the next 18 years, Vales Point will be one of four NSW coal fired power stations to close and this transition to solar energy will add to NSW’s five major renewable power projects. Source: Media statement, Feb 28 Steve Gurney, Delta Electricity Media statement, Mar 2 Simon Gamble, Enernet Global Document, Jan 31, 2018 Environmental Impact Statement, State Significant Development 8533 NSW Department Environment & Planning Reporter: Sue Murray
Claimed Urban Congestion Fund rorts partially explained Controversy rages over roadworks expenditure on the Central Coast pledged prior to the 2019 Federal Election, with Member for Dobell, Emma McBride, claiming residents in the north of the region were “shortchanged” and Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, maintaining that there was an even distribution of roadworks between the two
electorates. McBride said the marginal Liberal held seat of Robertson took over 94% of the $105M available for the Central Coast. “On February 24 in Question Time, I asked the Prime Minister why 94% of roads funding on the Central Coast went to the Liberal held seat of Robertson,” McBride said.
“Does the Prime Minister think the Central Coast’s traffic congestion stops at Wamberal? “Residents, commuters and business owners in the northern areas of the Coast will tell him otherwise.” McBride said the Labor party had written to the Auditor-General requesting an audit into the design, management and politicisation of the
Urban Congestion Fund, through which the money was made available. But Wicks said a total of $105M investment was pledged on the Central Coast, $35M of which was for additional commuter car parking at Gosford and Woy Woy train stations, with the rest to be spent on upgrades to 29 Central Coast roads. “The $70M Central
Coast Roads Package is being delivered in partnership with Central Coast Council, who routinely identify priority roads requiring upgrades,” she said. “Of the 29 Central Coast streets that were funded as an election commitment, 14 were in Dobell. “The funding allocation of Urban Congestion Fund projects are
decisions of the Federal Government and are not conducted through a competitive grants process.” An examination of the full table of roadworks approved, confirms that of the 29 projects earmarked, 14 are in Dobell, 14 in Robertson and 1 in the electorate of Swansea. Continued P4
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