The commission handed down its decision Thursday last week.
It is one of four projects that has been granted right of access in the South West Renewable Energy Zone by EnergyCo.
All four projects are located near where Murrumbidgee Council borders with Edward River and Hay Shire Council borders.
In addition to Spark Renewables' Dinawan Energy Hub, projects include Origin Energy’s Yanco Delta Wind Farm, Someva’s Pottinger Energy Park, and BayWA’s Bullawah Wind Farm.
Together, they have a combined generation capacity of 3.56 gigawatts - enough to power more than 1.6 million homes annually.
The Dinawan Solar Farm is located about 30km south of Coleambally and 30km north of Jerilderie.
The Dinawan Energy Hub Trust sought approval for an 800 megawatt (MW) solar farm with a battery energy storage system, and associated infrastructure including substations, a temporary accommodation camp and temporary construction compounds.
This state significant development (SSD) application was referred to the NSW Independent Planning Commission for determination because more than 50 public objections were made to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure during its assessment period.
The two-member Panel, comprising chair Suellen Fitzgerald and Simon Smith, met with key stakeholders, conducted a site inspection and locality tour, received 43 written submissions, and held community stakeholder meetings where they heard from 13 community members.
In its statement of reasons for the decision, the Commission found that the project would assist in “improving grid stability and energy security” and aligns with NSW Government commitments to transition to renewable energy.
It further highlighted that the project is expected to create approximately 400 full-time jobs during construction and 10 ongoing operational jobs, and generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 142,000 homes.
“The Commission considered concerns raised relating to cumulative impacts, traffic and roads, noise, contamination, social impacts, emergency planning, local infrastructure and insurances,” a spokesperson advised.
“The Commission has imposed conditions of consent to minimise adverse impacts of the project.”
The conditions instruct the applicant to:
• prepare and implement a traffic management plan which includes measures to minimise potential cumulative traffic impacts with other projects;
• comply with set construction hours, noise management protocols, and noise monitoring and reporting;
• prepare and implement a fire safety study and an emergency plan;
• prepare an ‘Accommodation and Employment Strategy’ and an ‘Accommodation Camp Management Plan’ and;
• prepare a ‘Soil and Water Management Plan’ and an ‘Environmental Management Strategy’.
All documents relating to the assessment and determination of this proposal can be found on the Commission’s website https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/cases/dinawan-solar-farm.
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