Golden Plains Wind Farm Project Update #20

Project Update Issue #20 SEPTEMBER 2023

At A Glance Community Benefits Scheme Community Energy Program - Energy Locals

Welcome to the September 2023 Issue of the Golden Plains Wind Farm Community Update Community Benefits Scheme The Community Benefits Schemes are experiencing increasing popularity as a greater number of community members are finalising their applications.

Our desire is for all eligible residents to recognise and enjoy the advantages they offer, so we strongly urge all individuals to send in an expression of interest. Kindly reach out via email at info@goldenplainswindfarm.com.au You might have the opportunity to take part in any of the programs mentioned below: Community Energy Program (CEP) Offsite Landscaping Program (OLP) Energy Audit Scheme (EAS)

Rokewood Contact Job Opportunities Community Grants Local project creates local job opportunity!

Rokewood General Store is branching out!

Construction Update Did you know?

Community Energy Program - Energy Locals It’s official! We're partnering with Energy Locals to provide financial savings and environmental benefits to eligible community members, and we will soon be providing the sign-up details. If you have already registered your Expression of Interest you will receive an email in the coming weeks, if you haven't yet, contact Mark Bruty or keep an eye on our website and social media for more information.

The Community Energy Program is an initiative of the Golden Plains Wind Farm and Energy Locals. It offers registered dwellings within a 3km radius of wind turbines the chance to offset electricity costs.

Switching to Energy Locals can result in up to $1,600 in credits annually, equivalent to an average Victorian home's electricity usage.

Are you eligible for the Energy Program?

Now is a fantastic time to share this great initiative with friends, family and neighbours who live in the local area to see if they’re eligible.

Soon, we will also be launching the free Energy Audit Scheme, as well as the Off-Site Landscaping Program and Neighbour Financial Incentive Program.

For more information head to: goldenplainswindfarm.com.au/community

Rokewood Contact Mark Bruty (Manager – Community Engagement) would love to hear from you! If you want more information on the Community Benefit Schemes or want to share other ideas and initiatives, please contact Mark at markb@w-wind.com.au or on 0491 617 649.

Image of Illabrook and Rokewood Junction Hall, a successful recipient of the Community Grants Program

Jobs Are you looking for work on the Golden Plains Wind Farm?

Golden Plains Wind Farm is generating employment opportunities - both directly related to the construction and operation of the wind farm and indirectly through increased demand for goods and services.

Can you provide these services?

Civil and electrical contracting Earthworks Safety and fencing Temporary construction facilities

To enquire now please contact: golden.plains.recruitment@vestas.com

Local (within 10km)

Golden Plains Shire

Ballarat/Geelong

1

12

65

78 Jobs created to date.

Community Grants We are excited to announce the successful recipients of the most recent Community Benefit Grant Funding round:

$200 Illabarook-Rokewood Junction Memorial Hall Trolley for their generator $1,400 Cape Clear Recreation Reserve Community Tai Chi program $3,200 Rokewood Primary School Arts and storage project $3,700 Shelford Primary School Cultural awareness project to install flag poles $11,500 Rokewood Golf Course Fencing project to rejuvenate the Golf Club We congratulate the recipients and look forward to following the progress of their projects as they take shape.

We'd like to thank everyone who applied and the Community Reference Group for taking the time to review the applications submitted for this recent round.

New flagpoles at Rokewood Primary School, funded by a previous grant round

Image of local amenity block upgrade completed by Cody Kirby from CTK Construction and supporting local businesses

Local project creates local job opportunity!

Recently Golden Plains Wind Farm had the pleasure of interviewing local contractor Cody Kirby from CTK Construction based in Dereel. Cody, along with a team of 8, completed the upgrade to the local amenity block in the Rokewood main street earlier this year (pictured above).

This upgrade was one of 4 improvement projects funded by the wind farm to improve community safety and convenience. Cody shared his thoughts on the wind farm project, “It’s a great thing that is happening. Being a small country town, it’s not just about the wind farm, it’s about the community that comes into the town. For the local shop, pub and the people who live in town, it puts Rokewood on the map and brings new people here, making it bigger than it once was.”

Works on the rundown amenity block began in March. They included the replacement of the urinal, retiling of the men’s bathroom, 3 new coats of render and repainting internally and externally. The works were completed in April. Upgrades on the roof are now being finalised.

Cody believes that this upgrade will benefit the many people that pass-through town and the local businesses of Rokewood. He also believes that Golden Plains Wind Farm will positively impact the local community and bring much needed funding for community upgrades. He sees this support as a benefit for local sporting clubs and excitingly the employment opportunities the wind farm will generate for members in the community.

Golden Plains Wind Farm would like to thank Cody for taking the time to speak with us and for the amazing work he has done for this project. We would also like to extend our thanks to the local team that supported Cody in completing this project: Paul Wells from Wells Painting and Decorating, based in Corrindhap/Dereel Mari Hendricks from Hendricks Plumbing based in Buninyong Adrian Pearce with 1 support apprentice from Pearce Rendering based in Cardigan Craig Paxton with 2 support apprentices from Paxton Electrical based in Ross Creek

Wind farm crews (form left to right) Alex Tam and Cameron Lubbe (from MPK) Cameron Griffith and Mark Bruty (from WestWind Energy) grabbing a hot breakfast from the project’s new on site food van run by Lance Kirby and Shane McIntosh

Rokewood General Store is branching out!

Construction crews working on the Golden Plains Wind Farm - East are starting their day with full bellies thanks to the new on-site food trailer set up by the Rokewood General Store.

The new trailer, run by Lance Kirby, has been a massive hit with workers of the project. Lance and his helper Shane McIntosh have been on-site early each morning to deliver crews with freshly made breakfast and brewed coffee.

Lance commented on how great it was that local businesses can play a part in the wind farm project’s delivery and take advantage of business opportunities produced.

“This project is already having a positive impact on our community, even in its early stages, and I see more business opportunities like this opening as the project progresses. The project owners said they would work with the local community and it’s great to see that they’ve made good on this commitment by engaging local businesses like mine” “The on-site food trailer takes some of the pressure off our store in town, which is getting quite busy each morning, and allows us to now feed the hungry crews from two fronts, rather than just the one. It’s worked out great for us and it’s also meant I’ve been able to put on three extra people, so that’s great from a local job perspective too,” he said.

Construction Update Civil and Wind Turbine Progress We are pleased to report that the foundational steel installations have started on site with 28 now in place out of 122. The concrete batching plant has been commissioned and is operating consistently.

Please be aware that during this stage of works there will be additional local construction traffic due to concrete trucks travelling from the batch plant on Geggies Road.

The first foundation pour was successfully completed on 15 June 2023. Subsequent foundation pours are continuing throughout the eastern stage of the project, with 27 already completed. The pouring of concrete for the foundations commences early in the morning to accommodate the volume of concrete that is required per foundation.

Vestas construction continues to progress as civil crews work on track building, excavations and further foundation works. Electrical crews are increasing activities on site (currently doing earthing works and conduits for the foundations) in preparation for cable works to commence in the coming weeks.

Finally, turbine components and tower sections have recently arrived in Geelong. We look forward to the site receiving its first delivery in early October!

Image of foundation concrete pour curing

Electrical and Grid Progress AusNet and Vestas are making great progress in the construction of the Golden Plains Eastern Collector (GPEC)/Golden Plains Terminal Station (GPTS) and Cressy Road Terminal Station (CRTS) substation bench areas, with both construction areas now substantially complete, ready for the delivery and assembly of electrical components.

The first piling rig has arrived on site at GPTS/GPEC and can be seen from Bells Road. It is responsible for drilling the deep foundation piles that are required for the substation landing structures that carry overhead wires from GPEC to GPTS to CRTS. Works on the 220kV overhead line, that links GPTS/GPEC to CRTS, have been on hold during the wetter period of the year. They are scheduled to recommence in Q3 2023.

Did you know?

How much concrete is used in a foundation pour?

WTG167 - the first foundation pour on the project - used around 640m of concrete. For comparison, a 40-foot shipping container has 3 an approximate capacity of 60m , meaning the concrete in this foundation would fill more than3 ten, 40-foot containers!

WTG182 is a larger foundation, successfully 3 poured on 5 July 2023. It used around 930m of concrete making it the largest wind turbine foundation in Australia at this current time.

Drone image capturing ongoing construction activities during the pouring of a foundation

Current Access Track Progress

An Olympic swimming pool has a total volume 3 of 2500m , so this foundation would fill two fifths of an Olympic sized swimming pool!

Clear/Strip topsoil

Subgrade treatment

Progress Snapshot 49 wind turbine sites excavated

Base Course and Pavement

56km of 102km

55km of 102km

53km of 102km

56% 53% 51%

40 blindings complete Image of a steel reinforcement being installed in a foundation

34 sets of anchor cages installed Steel reinforcement installed in 32 foundations

31 foundation pours complete

18 foundations now backfilled Image of a wind farm entry point

20,300m3 of concrete has been used on site

510,000 tonnes of rock have been utilised to date

Office 4 Nexus Centre, 17 Goode Street GISBORNE VIC 3437

info@goldenplainswindfarm.com.au

(03) 5421 9999

goldenplains.com.au

facebook.com/goldenplains