Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen visited Newcastle today, to make a major announcement for the wind farm project slated for the Hunter's coast.
The proposed 5000-square-kilometre zone for the project was unveiled, which would span the region's coastline between Norah Head and Port Stephens.
There's projections it could house up to 130 wind turbines, however the exact numbers are yet to be confirmed.
Mr Bowen, said it's likely the turbines will sit between 10 and 35 kilometres off the shore.
He also said the project could replace the region's fleet of coal-fired power stations, and would contribute greatly to its economy.
"The zone that I'm launching today, has the capacity to create up to 8 gigawatts of power, enough to power 6 million homes," Mr Bowen said.
"It has the capacity to create 4,800 construction jobs and 2,400 ongoing jobs."
The Minister has officially launched the community consultation phase for the project, noting he would take into consideration, their concerns about the farm's visibility, and its impact on the local environment before moving it to the next phase.
 |
| The proposed Hunter Wind Farm zone. |
