Thunderbolt wind project wins five-year fight, goes ahead despite protest

The Thunderbolt Wind Farm farm going between Benedemeer and Kentucky, 47 kilometres north east of Tamworth, was referred to an independent panel after the proposal received push back from residents.

Today the panel announced the 32 wind turbine project will proceed even though more than 80 per cent of public submissions were opposed.

"After careful consideration, the commission has determined that consent should be granted to the Application, subject to conditions," the panel said in its Statement of Reasons document.

"The commission finds that the site is suitable for renewable energy development given its location within the New England REZ, proximity to existing electricity transmission networks, topography, wind resources, access to the regional road network, and avoidance of major environmental constraints."

The wind farm has been in the planning stages since 2019 and locals in Kentucky have raised a variety of concerns from land values to bushfire risks.

Its developer - French renewable energy company Neoen - says the project will produce 192 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 99,000 homes and save more than 550,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

"We are excited to have received development approval today for our Thunderbolt Wind Farm, which is ideally located in next to an existing 330kv transmission line in NSW's New England Renewable Energy Zone," Neoen's NSW state leader Emily Walker said.

"We look forward to delivering positive outcomes for the local economy and community, as well as to the contribution Thunderbolt will make to NSW's energy transition."

Ms Walker did not give an indication on when construction might begin, but the Leader understands there's still pre-construction work that could take anywhere from six months to two years to finish.

Conditions imposed by the independent planning panel include a 260-metre height limit on each of the 32 turbines and the planting of shrubs or trees to reduce the visual impact for any residence within 5.1km of a turbine.

Neoen is also required to pay for road upgrade works, manage traffic impacts, minimise disturbances to the area's biodiversity, and decommission the site at the end of the project life.

Uralla mayor Robert Bell says that last condition is extremely important since decommissioning and rehabilitating land isn't something the Department of Planning usually requires for renewable energy projects.

"When mines start production they're required to set up a bond for taking it down, so when we're talking about a wind turbine costing half a million dollars to decommission, is it fair that the landowner and the company who owns the project have to argue over who's responsible? I don't believe that that's reasonable," Cr Bell said.

Another important condition Cr Bell mentioned was the company would have to create an accommodation and employment strategy to prioritise employing local workers and reduce impacts on local rents.

"I think we would argue it's as good an outcome as we could hope in the context of the project proceeding," Cr Robert Bell said.

"As for issues around employment and accommodation, the developer will have to come up with a strategy that's approved by Tamworth and Uralla councils."

Neoen has said it expects the project to create nearly 300 jobs during construction and 9 permanent positions once finished. It's also considering a second-stage expansion of the project.

Cr Bell suggested the company should consider building workers' villages which could boost the local housing supply after construction is completed.