The Southern Winds Offshore Wind Project, proposed by BlueFloat Energy, comprises a 1,155 megawatt offshore wind farm and supporting onshore and offshore transmission infrastructure, in the proposed Offshore Wind Zone near the Portland region of western Victoria. The wind farm will be located 8 to 20 kilometres off the coastline between Cape Douglas in South Australia and Nelson in Victoria, covering an offshore area of approximately 290 square kilometres. The project also includes undersea and onshore transmission infrastructure connecting into the Glenelg Local Government Area.
The offshore components of the project in the Commonwealth jurisdiction include:
- approximately 77 offshore bottom-fixed wind turbines generating up to 1,155 megawatts of electricity
- two offshore substations
- foundations in the seabed for the turbines and offshore substations, and
- undersea array subsea capables connecting the wind turbines together and to the offshore substations.
The offshore components tranversing the Commonwealth and Victorian State jurisdctions include the subsea export cables extending from the offshore substations to the onshore landing locations.
The oneshore components of the project in State jurisdiction include either:
- onshore cables connecting into the Portland Aluminium Smelter switchyard, or
- directly to the National Electricity Market at Heywood Terminal station via a new dedicated transmission line.
PROJECT HISTORY
| Jun 2022 | BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate announce the project. |
| Dec 2022 | Referral of a project for a decision on the need for an assessment under the Environment Effects Act 1978 submitted. |
| Jan 2023 | Referral accepted. |
| Mar 2024 | The Australian Government declared an area in the Southern Ocean, off western Victoria, as suitable for offshore wind development. |
