RWE Renewables Australia’s 1GW Theodore Wind Farm has received state planning approval from the Queensland Government after months of uncertainty due to the Queensland LNP Government’s tightened conditions for wind and solar developers.
The project, proposed for near Theodore in the Banana Shire in Central Queensland, will comprise up to 170 turbines and a co-located battery energy storage system (BESS).
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RWE Renewables Australia CEO Daniel Belton said, “RWE is thrilled to secure state planning approval for the Theodore Wind Farm, a 1GW project with strong community benefits, that would support Queensland’s energy supply.
“RWE has always understood that a key to successfully delivering projects is putting community first, and in line with this philosophy we have developed strong relationships with the community and other stakeholders at Theodore over the past three years.
“We appreciate the Queensland Government’s rigorous approach to DA assessment, and have proactively worked with the government to ensure we delivered best practice community engagement, which has supported the achievement of our DA.
“As we look ahead to commencing construction in 2026, we look forward to continuing to work with Powerlink and the Queensland Government on the infrastructure needed to make this project a success. We remain committed to collaborating with the community, government, Traditional Owners and other stakeholders to bring this project to life.”
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Construction of the project is anticipated to span four years. Meanwhile, RWE and Stanwell are continuing discussions on offtake for Theodore Wind Farm under their MoU, signed in 2023.
The Theodore wind project will now continue through the Federal Government’s EPBC Act process, where it has been placed on the National Renewable Energy Priority List (Priority List).
