SHIRE of Northam has received an application through the Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) for an extension to the existing solar farm located at lot 6 Northam-York Road, Muluckine.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted to the Shire of Northam in writing on or before Monday, November 9.
The subject site is located 3.7km east of the Northam Town Centre and is only accessible via Northam-York Road.
The Mortlock River transects the site which is bounded by cleared largely agricultural land to the north and east, with lots to the west zoned ‘Light and Service Industry’.
The proposed development seeks to create an extension to the existing solar power farm on lot 6, along with the incidental addition of a supporting battery energy storage system (BESS).
The proposed development will be implemented in two phases during construction, with phase 1 being the construction of a BESS, while phase 2 will be the construction of an additional BESS along with additional solar panels to the pre-existing solar power farm.
The BESS being constructed during phase 1 will have an energy capacity output of 4MW/32MWH while phase 2 will have an additional 4MW/32MWH output, with the additional solar panels generating an additional 10MW of power.
As part of the solar power farm extension, there will be two 45,000L water tanks installed to assist with bushfire risk prevention as required by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), with an additional 65,000L water tank to be built to provide capacity to serve the BESS system and the kiosk area.
The construction of the solar power farm extension and BESS will take place concurrently over 20 weeks.
Details of the proposal are available at the shire office at 395 Fitzgerald Street, Northam or can be downloaded from http://www.northam.wa.gov.au/consultations/community/joint-development-assessment-panel-application-extension-to-the-existing-solar-farm-located-at-lot-6-northam-york-road-muluckine

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