Another 98 MW in the south

South Australian Premier Mike Rann has officially opened the 98 MW Snowtown wind farm, 170 kilometres north of Adelaide. Developed by New Zealand's TrustPower, the A$220 million project consists of 47 Suzlon 2.1 MW turbines and is expected to produce in excess of 380 GWh of electricity a year. The project brings cumulative installed wind capacity in South Australia to 740 MW, said Rann, equivalent to 58% of the country's total wind power. "It provides important economic opportunities for the region, including hundreds of jobs and a valuable source of income for landowners as we continue to suffer the ongoing effects of drought," he said. "But this is stage one. There is potential for about 350 megawatts of power in subsequent stages." In total, A$1.8 billion has been invested in wind power generation in South Australia so far, according to Rann.