A public information session will be held at The Entrance for people to hear about a “Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project”.
BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate are proposing to build 110 floating offshore turbines, each with a capacity between 15 MW and 20 MW, as well as three floating substations which are proposed to connect to the grid at the former Munmorah Power Station site.
The proposed location of the turbines is between 25 to 55 kilometres off the coast between The Entrance and Newcastle.
In its first public newsletter, the project states that an offshore wind project is complex and typically takes between 6 – 11 years to carry out feasibility activities, obtain the necessary approvals and to be built.
“We are currently in the feasibility, development and approvals stage of the project,” the newsletter says.
“We will need environmental and planning approvals under State and Commonwealth processes.
“A co-ordinated approach will be used to assess the cultural heritage, environmental, economic and social impact of our Project.
“Our first significant milestone is the referral of our Project (anticipated to be December 2022) under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act).
“We will also require a licence under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021.”
The newsletter said the Act came into effect in June 2022 and establishes the framework for the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of offshore electricity projects.
Under this legislation, the first stage is for offshore wind developers to apply for a feasibility licence.
The application will be assessed by the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA), the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator.
The Entrance drop-in information session is on:
- Tuesday 8 November from 4 – 7 pm at Diggers @ The Entrance, 315 The Entrance Road, The Entrance.
