Mount Millar Wind Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Millar Wind Farm |
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Mount Millar wind farm at sunset
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| Country | Australia |
| Location | Eyre Peninsula, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°37′28″S 136°42′13″E / 33.624526°S 136.703690°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 2004 |
| Commission date | 28 February 2006 |
| Construction cost | A$130M |
| Owner(s) | Meridian Energy |
| Website www.meridianenergy.co.nz |
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The Mount Millar Wind Farm is a large power plant that uses wind to make electricity. It's located on a raised area of land, like a big hill, between the towns of Cowell and Cleve in South Australia. This area is part of the Eyre Peninsula.
The wind farm has 35 giant wind turbines. They are spread out over about 7 kilometers to catch as much wind as possible. This wind farm can create up to 70 megawatts (MW) of electricity. That's enough power for about 36,000 homes! It helps provide clean energy for many families.
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How Does This Wind Farm Make Power?
The Mount Millar Wind Farm was special because it was the first in South Australia to use "direct drive" turbines. These turbines are different because they don't have gearboxes. Most wind turbines use gearboxes to speed up the spinning motion from the blades. Direct drive turbines work without them, which can make them simpler.
Connecting to the Power Grid
The electricity made at Mount Millar needs to get to homes and businesses. It connects to a large network of power lines called ElectraNet’s transmission network. This connection happens at a place called Yadnarie Substation.
To do this, a new 33-kilometer long power line was built. This line carries electricity at 132 kilovolts (kV) and connects the wind farm to the main power grid.
Building the Wind Farm
The construction of the Mount Millar Wind Farm began in late 2004. It was a big project that took about a year to complete. By December 2005, the main construction work was finished.
The wind farm started producing electricity in February 2006. The whole project cost about $130 million.
Who Owns the Wind Farm?
The Mount Millar Wind Farm has had a few different owners over the years.
Project Development
The project was first developed by a company called Tarong Energy. They were in charge of getting the wind farm built and started.
Changes in Ownership
- In 2007, Tarong Energy sold the wind farm to Transfield Services.
- Then, in 2010, Meridian Energy bought the wind farm. Meridian Energy is a company that focuses on renewable energy. They own and operate the Mount Millar Wind Farm today.
