The Shire of Narrogin has sought an urgent meeting with Premier Roger Cook to discuss a “seismic shift in Western Australia’s energy landscape”.
In a letter to the Premier, Chief Executive Officer Dale Stewart said the proliferation of large-scale renewable energy proposals surrounding Narrogin and the wider Wheatbelt marked a defining moment “not only for our community but for the State’s transition to a clean energy future”.
“These projects hold immense promise, environmentally, economically, and symbolically, but their success depends on more than turbines, batteries, solar panels, and transmission lines. They require people, place, and purpose,” Mr Stewart said in the letter.
There are six major renewable energy projects valued at about $8 billion involving wind, solar, battery storage, and renewable fuels proposed for the district. They are:
- Narrogin East Wind, Solar & BESS (Battery energy storage system) Project, due to be lodged with the State Development Assessment Unit (SDAU) in May this year.
- Estimated cost $800 million
- Comprises 250MW wind, 150MW solar, 200MW BESS
- Will require about 450 workers during construction of about 18 months from February next year
- Narrogin Solar Farm & BESS, due for discussion at a Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) meeting in May.
- Estimated cost $400 million
- Comprises 200MWDC solar, 200MW, 4hr BESS
- Will require about 150 workers during construction of about 18 months from February 2026
- Narrogin BESS Project, due to be discussed at a JDAP meeting in May
- Estimated cost $400 million
- Comprises 200MW, 4hr BESS
- Will require about 150 jobs during construction of about 18 months from February 2026
- Narrogin Biodiesel Plant, due to be lodged with the SDAU about May.
- Estimated cost of $400 million.
- Will produce about 19 million litres of renewable diesel/year
- Will require about 150 workers during construction of about 18 months from February 2026
- Narrogin Wind Farm, lodged with the SDAU in February this year.
- Estimated cost of $500 million
- Capacity of 200MW
- Will require about 200 workers during construction of about 18 months from February 2026.
- Bellwether Wind Farm, due to be lodged with the SDAU in May 2027.
- Estimated cost of $6 billion
- Comprises around 400 turbines over 100,000 ha in the Wheatbelt region, involving dozens of landowners, and multiple local government authorities.
- Will require about 750 workers during construction over about 36 months from February 2028.
Mr Stewart said that despite the magnitude of investment proposed, host communities “have yet to see a clear and committed plan from the State that safeguards their wellbeing and long-term resilience”.
The shire asked for direct State Government intervention and support in three critical areas: housing, infrastructure (sewerage, water, industrial and residential), and planning support and policy direction.