Bowmans Creek Wind Farm

The 347MW Bowmans Creek Wind Farm is planned to be developed in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

The project will be developed by a namesake entity owned by Ark Energy, a subsidiary of Korea Zinc.

According to the company, the project will entail an investment of approximately A$569m ($375m).

The construction timeframe for the Bowmans Creek Wind Farm is approximately 18 months.

Once operational, Bowmans is expected to generate electricity for more than 172,600 homes and offset around 957,800 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Location

The Bowmans Creek Wind Farm will be located in a site approximately 10km east of Muswellbrook in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in NSW.

The location is approximately 185km north of Sydney.

Several coal mines and existing Bayswater and Liddell Power Stations are located near the site.

Some sparsely populated rural localities such as Bowmans Creek, Davis Creek, Goorangoola, Greenlands, Hebden, McCullys Gap, Muscle Creek and Rouchel Brook lies in proximity.

The onshore wind farm’s total development footprint, including road upgrades, is approximately 411 hectares (ha), out of which 280ha is native vegetation.

Background Details

In 2017, Epuron, which was later acquired by Ark Energy, started discussions with landowners for a wind power project in the region. The company also commenced wind monitoring onsite using a portable SoDAR (sonic detection and ranging) device in the same year.

A scoping report was published in May 2019.

The State Significant Development (SSD-10315) application for the project was filed in 2021.

In May 2022, Ark Energy completed the acquisition of Epuron after the sale agreement received regulatory approvals.

NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) completed its whole-of-government assessment of the project and referred it to the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) for determination in November 2023.

In February 2024, NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) approved Bowmans Creek Wind Farm with some conditions.

Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Project Details

Originally, the project was planned with 60 wind turbines. However, the number was reduced to 56 following community concerns. Following another assessment, it was further reduced to 54 turbines.

The wind turbine generators will be up to 220m high and will feature a three-blade rotor and nacelle mounted onto a tubular tower.

The ancillary infrastructure will include two onsite substations and a new 330-kilovolt (kV) transmission line to connect to the Liddell substation.

Each WTG will be mounted on a reinforced concrete footing accompanied by a transformer and will be controlled remotely from the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) facility. The 45m tall towers will be spaced at intervals of 200m-300m depending on topography.

The WTGs produce electricity at 690V, which will be stepped up to 33kV by the transformer within the WTG for more efficient reticulation within the site.

Power generated from the WTGs is sent to the one or two substations via the reticulation cables and powerlines. Underground cables of approximately 40km will be laid in trenches approximately 2m wide and 1m deep.

Around 17km overhead powerlines will be required for the project including a combination of single-circuit and double-circuit powerlines.

The transformer in the substations will step up the reticulation voltage (33 kV) to (up to 330kV), following which, the electricity will be exported via a new single or double circuit 330kV transmission line.

The project will be connected to the existing TransGrid network via the Liddell substation.

The Bowmans Creek Wind Farm would create around 156 construction jobs and 15 operational jobs.

Each of the WTG will have a lifespan of 25 years.

Subject to approvals, the wind project may be further expanded in Stage II, which will involve installing a further 21 wind turbines.

Contractors Involved

Green Bean Design (GBD) was engaged to undertake a Preliminary Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (PLVIA) for the wind power project.

Sonus, an Australia-based acoustic services provider, was contracted to undertake the Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment for the Bowmans Creek wind farm.