MOORABOOL Council would have increased its financial bottom line by $240,000 last year if all five wind farms planned for the area were up and running.
With 185 wind turbines proposed for the shire, planning manager Phil Burn said the council could earn $239,165 through municipal rates.
Mr Burn said the council would be adequately compensated to administer and enforce permits under proposed changes to wind farm legislation.
“The municipal charges under the Electricity Industry Act 2000, which kick in once projects are operational, are more than sufficient in covering planning enforcement costs, especially when the conditions on the wind farm permits place the onus on demonstrating compliance with the wind farm operator,” he said.
Mr Burn calculated all five wind farms would provide $47,000 in municipal charges for the council. “That’s the $40,000 per power station indexed to CPI from 2005 to June quarter 2012 — approximately $47,833.11.”
The eventual figure would depend on the megawatt capacity of each project.
But mayor Pat Toohey said it would be years before wind farms dotted the local landscape.
“It could be four or five years before Moorabool reaps any rewards from wind farms, not until they are fully operational and producing electricity,” he said.
“In the meantime, council will have spent approximately $1 million of ratepayers money on compliance during the wind farm’s construction period.
“The cost to council could be a rate rise of 1 per cent to manage it properly.”
Pyrenees Shire’s annual report revealed 100 turbines at Waubra generated $376,000 across 2010-11.
