The State Electricity Commission (SEC) will deliver Victoria’s first publicly owned, utility-scale wind generation project after announcing the 100 per cent acquisition of the Delburn Wind Farm in Gippsland.
The 205-megawatt (MW) project, located just south of the Latrobe Valley, will comprise 33 turbines and is scheduled to begin construction in early 2026, with full operations expected in 2028. Once completed, Delburn is expected to generate enough electricity to supply more than 130,000 homes.
The project is considered a milestone for the revived government-owned energy company and positions Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley at the centre of Victoria’s next phase of renewable energy investment.
Project developer OSMI Australia will continue to play a key role in the construction and delivery of the wind farm, while Vestas has been selected as the primary contractor for turbine supply, installation and long-term servicing.
Total capital investment in the project is expected to be in the range of $600 million to $700 million. SEC said the development will deliver substantial regional economic benefits, including more than 300 jobs during construction and more than $22 million in neighbour and community benefit-sharing programs over the project’s 35-year operating life.
Chris Miller, Chief Executive Officer at SEC, said the project reflects the organisation’s long-term commitment to Gippsland as Victoria’s energy system transitions away from coal.
“The Latrobe Valley has been the engine of Victoria’s power system for more than a century, and we believe the region will continue to play a critical role as Victoria transitions to a system supplied by renewable generation, supported by storage,” he said.
“The region not only has an established, high-capacity transmission network, it also has a highly skilled workforce with deep experience in building and operating energy infrastructure.”
The Delburn acquisition follows the opening of SEC’s Morwell hub in October, which is intended to serve as a community education and engagement space focused on the energy transition and future workforce opportunities.
It also comes as SEC’s first investment, the 600 MW Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, begins commercial operations.
With Delburn now added to its portfolio, SEC said it has more than one gigawatt of committed projects under development, placing it on track to meet its mandate of delivering 4.5 gigawatts of renewable generation and storage by 2035.
The Delburn Wind Farm is expected to play a strategic role in supporting the Latrobe Valley’s economic transition while strengthening Victoria’s renewable energy supply as coal generation continues to retire.