One of Australia’s first commercial wind farms is being retired, with Pacific Blue initiating plans to decommission its 18.2 MW Codrington Wind Farm in south-west Victoria after more than 25 years of operation.
Commissioned in 2001, the 14-turbine Codrington facility is nearing the end of its technical life. Pacific Blue has ruled out repowering the site, citing limited land availability, outdated grid infrastructure, and new turbine siting requirements that preclude the use of higher-capacity machines.
The decision marks a rare case in Australia’s maturing wind sector where repowering – still an emerging practice locally – is deemed technically or financially unviable.
Under planning permit conditions, decommissioning must be completed within 12 months of the wind farm ceasing generation.
Pacific Blue said early discussions have begun with local and state regulators to shape a decommissioning plan that meets safety, environmental and rehabilitation obligations. No firm shutdown date has been confirmed.
The company has also briefed landowners and community representatives and committed to restoring the site to landholders’ satisfaction. Broader public consultation is scheduled for late 2025, once approvals and timelines are better defined.
Codrington’s small turbine scale – each with roughly 1.3 MW output – and its constrained grid connection would require “significant upgrades” to meet modern standards, Pacific Blue said. Today’s utility-scale turbines commonly exceed 6 MW.
The site’s decommissioning could offer one of Australia’s first case studies in whole-of-life wind farm retirement, a looming challenge as more early-generation assets approach end-of-life.
Pacific Blue says it is exploring recycling options for as much infrastructure as possible, but provided no detail on how turbine blades or foundations – often the most difficult components to recover – will be handled.
Codrington was among the first grid-connected wind projects on the National Electricity Market and was developed under Victoria’s former Renewable Energy Support Scheme. It has operated alongside Pacific Blue’s nearby Yambuk and Cape Bridgewater wind farms.