Up to 160 jobs will be created in the Upper Hunter during the construction phase of the Bowmans Creek wind farm outside of Muswellbrook, planning documents show.
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A recently lodged scoping report for stage 2 of the project says another 21 wind turbine generators up to 250 metres in height will be added.
The $569 million first stage, which was approved earlier this year, will include 54 turbines up to 220 metres high.
"[It has] proximity to existing electricity transmission networks, topography, wind resources, access to the regional road network and avoidance of major environmental constraints," the Independent Planning Commission said at the time.
If stage 2 is approved, the project's output would increase from 335 megawatts to about 455.
It would plug into the National Energy Market via a high voltage cable that will connect the New England Renewable Energy Zone to the Liddell substation.
The project's proponent Ark Energy said it hopes planning approval for stage 2 will be granted in 2025 with construction to follow soon after.
The construction phase of the project is expected to be between 18 months and two years.
"The project has an estimated operational life of 30 years after which it may be decommissioned or re-powered. It is anticipated that 160 personnel will be required during construction of the project and 15 personnel will be required for operations," a stage 2 scoping report says.
The Bowmans Creek wind farm is among a raft of clean energy projects that are slated for the Upper Hunter in the next decade.
The project is located about 17 kilometres south west of AGL's clean energy precinct, which is taking shape on the site of the former Liddell power station.
"This is not just about the transition of a single site, it is the transition of the entire region from a very coal intensive region into a renewable space," AGL chief operating officer Markus Brokhof said earlier this year.
It is anticipated that many of those who will construct and work at the energy hub will transfer from Liddell or Bayswater power stations.
AGL Energy made a final investment decision on the $750 million project late last year.
A small village of up to 100 workers are involved in earthworks and underground cable installation.
The battery components are being produced in China and packaged in Vietnam before arriving in Australia.
Fluence has been selected as the preferred engineering, procurement and construction provider for the battery, which has an expected life of 20 years.
"A battery of this size (500 megawatts) was inconceivable only three years ago. The fact that we are now building it shows how quickly the transition is occurring," AGL general manager of energy hubs Travis Hughes said.
Nearby, the Muswellbrook pumped hydro project was declared a state significant project earlier this month.
It is one of six renewable projects that has been fast-tracked due to their importance to the state's critical energy security during peak-demand periods as coal-fire sources close.
The development, a joint venture by AGL and Idemitsu, will transform the Muswellbrook Coal Mine void into a 400-megawatt generator, which would provide eight hours of energy storage.
A proposed Training and Industrial Precinct will further add to the project's potential to create new employment and economic opportunities in the region.
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
