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Origin Energy Limited ABN 30 000 051 696
Level 45 Australia Square, 264-278 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 5376, Sydney NSW 2001
Telephone (02) 8345 5000
Facsimile (02) 9252 1566
Media Release
30 August 2009
Origin’s Cullerin Range Wind Farm boosts NSW
renewable energy generation
Origin, Australia’s leading integrated energy company, has announced the successful
commencement of renewable energy generation from its 30MW Cullerin Range Wind
Farm, the first significant wind farm to become fully operational in NSW.
Located 30 kilometres west of Goulburn in NSW, Cullerin Range Wind Farm is one of
the most competitive projects of its kind in Australia, with a capacity factor of 44
percent and proximity to pre-existing electricity transmission infrastructure.
Origin Executive General Manager Energy Markets, Mr Frank Calabria said, “Cullerin
Range is making an important contribution to increasing the supply of renewable
electricity generation in NSW while helping to lower the State's greenhouse gas
emissions.”
“Cullerin Range has an extremely good wind resource and will provide enough
renewable electricity to power almost 15,000 typical NSW homes and avoid the
production of approximately 100,000 tonnes of carbon annually,” Mr Calabria added.
As Origin’s first self built wind farm, Cullerin Range is an important development
within the company’s extensive renewable energy portfolio.
Origin has been an active participant in the wind sector since early this decade when
Australia’s first commercial wind farm was opened at Codrington in Victoria – with
the offtake fully contracted to Origin. As a significant investor in Australia’s
renewable energy industry, Origin holds more than 2,000 MW of wind farm
development options including a pipeline of 1,520 MW owned by the Company.
The wind farm assists in meeting Origin’s obligations under the Federal
Government’s National Renewable Energy Target and contributes to the significant
renewable energy positions held by Origin in Australia and New Zealand. The wind
farm also supports customer demand for GreenPower as Origin is the largest green
energy provider in Australia with more than 500,000 accredited GreenPower and
GreenGas accounts.
Origin acquired the development rights to Cullerin Range from Epuron in January
2008 and following successful completion of construction, the wind farm underwent
commissioning between late May and early July this year. All 15 of the wind farm’s
2MW REpower wind turbines are now fully operational, exporting power to Country
Energy’s 132kV Goulburn to Yass distribution line, which passes through the northern
section of the site.
Construction of the wind farm was a major logistical exercise involving the shipment
and delivery of blades, each up to 45 metres in length, from Germany. The turbine
towers, which were manufactured in Portland, Victoria, were assembled in three
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sections with a hub height of 80 metres. In addition to the wind farm itself, building
involved engineering activities such as onsite roads to access the turbine sites, and
the hardstand areas for the turbine construction.
“Safety is our priority at Cullerin Range and we have conducted rigorous onsite
assessments of all safety systems. The turbines have been engineered to protect
them from lightning strikes and a detailed earthing design has been incorporated
within the tower and foundation. The wind farm has the capability to shut itself
down should onsite conditions require and each nacelle is fitted with duplicate
sensors to detect wind speed and direction,” Mr Calabria said.
The $95 million Cullerin Range Wind Farm project, at the height of construction
activity, employed more than 100 people on site with 60 of these from the local area
and is contributing significant investment into the local economy. A number of
people in the local area will be involved in the maintenance and operation of the
wind farm.
Origin also has a 30 per cent interest in the hot-rock geothermal joint venture with
Geodynamics as well as its SLIVER solar photovoltaic development which aims to
increase the availability of solar power by dramatically reducing the amount of
silicon required in solar panels.
For images of Cullerin Range Wind Farm go to:
For further information please contact:
Lina Melero
General Manager, Corporate Communication
Ph: 02 8345 5217
Mobile: 0427 017 798
Michelle Zahra
Corporate Communication Manager
Ph: 02 8345 5077
Mobile: 0408 119 877
About Origin Energy
Origin Energy is Australasia’s leading integrated energy company focused on gas and oil exploration and
production, power generation and energy retailing.
Listed in the ASX top 20 the company has approximately 4,000 employees, is a leading producer of gas
in eastern Australia, is the largest owner and developer of gas-fired electricity generation in Australia
and is a leading wholesaler and retailer of energy. The company services more than 3.5 million
electricity, natural gas and LPG customers across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Origin’s
strategic positioning and portfolio of assets provide flexibility, stability and significant opportunities for
growth in the ever changing energy industry. Through Australia Pacific LNG, its 50:50 incorporated joint
venture with ConocoPhillips, Origin is developing one of Australia’s largest CSG to LNG projects based
on Australia’s largest CSG reserves base.
In New Zealand, Origin is the major shareholder in Contact Energy, the country's leading integrated
energy company, operating geothermal, thermal and hydro generation facilities and servicing
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electricity, gas and LPG customers across both the North and South islands. Origin also operates several
oil and gas projects in New Zealand and is one of the largest holders of petroleum exploration acreage
in the country.
Origin has a strong focus on ensuring the sustainability of its operations, is the largest green energy
retailer in Australia and has significant investments in renewable energy technologies.
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