Conpower

Consolidated Power Projects (CPP) is pleased to announce the successful energisation of the Hawkesdale Wind Farm.

Located southwest of Victoria, near the town of Hawkesdale, positioned approximately 30 kilometres northwest of Warrnambool and 175 kilometres west of Geelong within the Moyne Shire Local Government area, this achievement marks a significant milestone for CPP and its partners. Today commemorates the culmination of diligent efforts and unwavering commitment, ushering in a new era of clean, renewable energy for the region.

The Hawkesdale Wind Farm features 23 turbines with a collective output capacity of 97 megawatts, seamlessly integrated into the grid via a 132kV overhead transmission line. This line connects to the established 500kV Tarrone Terminal Station, solidifying the farm’s contribution to sustainable energy solutions.

CPP’s journey with the Hawkesdale Wind Farm began with the signing of a Design and Construction (D&C) contract for the electrical balance of plant with BMD Constructions in January 2021.

Since commencing operations in April 2023, CPP has achieved significant milestones. Over the past 14 months, CPP has meticulously completed the installation of approximately 30,000 route meters of 33kV underground cable and fiber optic cable. These cables intricately connect the wind farm switchyard to the 23 wind turbine generators (WTGs), strategically arranged into four collector groups. Additionally, in July of the same year, CPP undertook the supply and installation of a 12Mvar filter bank, further enhancing the project’s operational efficiency and success.

Steve Drefke, senior manager on the project, commended the CPP team for their unwavering commitment and dedication throughout the process, despite its challenges. He highlighted the collaborative effort of various team members, including Anton Theron and his team for compiling the bid, Jessica Stephens for negotiating the contract, and the engineering team led by Deon van Altena and Adrian Brown.

Drefke further acknowledged the pivotal roles played by other key counterparts in the project. Joel Voigt, in particular, received praise for his exceptional leadership in managing onsite works with a relatively inexperienced team in wind farm construction, ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of the project to a remarkably high standard. Clint Collins and his team were also recognized for their outstanding performance in challenging conditions, successfully installing the reticulation cabling without the need for inline joints, thus mitigating ongoing risks for the facility’s lifespan. Special thanks were extended to Frank Maloney and the commissioning team, especially Robert Kirk, for their contributions to the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) and Site Integration Test (SIT), as well as to AMS for providing the switching operators, Rey & Ben.

With the successful energization of the Hawkesdale Wind Farm, CPP reaffirms its commitment to sustainable energy solutions and eagerly anticipates continuing its contributions to the renewable energy landscape. Looking ahead, Vestas will conduct hold point testing over the next few months, with expectations for the facility to reach full capacity generation by August 2024.