Construction started on 250 MW solar farm in Australia

Engie has started construction on the 250 MW Goorambat East solar farm located about 12 km north of Benalla and just south of the Goorambat township on the land of the Yorta Yorta people in Victoria, Australia.

The farm will feature approximately 500,000 solar panels deployed across a 630-ha site that spans five private rural properties in the Benalla Rural City Council local government area and is primarily accessible from the Goorambat-Chesney Road, Spinks Lane, and Saunders Road. The Farm generating capacity is enough to power up to 105,000 average Victorian homes. The Project will help displace emissions by up to 558,000 tonnes of co₂ each year. The solar farm will connect to a newly built Goorambat East Terminal Station, to be located alongside the existing single circuit 220kV transmission line route between Shepparton Terminal Station (SHTS) and Dederang Terminal Station (DDTS).

Bouygues Construction Australia and Equans Solar and Storage will be responsible for providing Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services.

A planning permit for the solar PV array and connection assets was approved in December 2019 by Benalla Rural City Council. ENGIE entered into a commercial arrangement with Neoen to purchase the project in 2023 and has been progressing steadily towards construction. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026, with operations to begin in 2027.