Referral of Proposed Action Form
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Referral of proposed action Proposed action Whyalla Solar Farm Project title: 1 Summary of proposed action 1.1 Short description Adani Infrastructure Pty Ltd (Adani), part of Adani Group of companies proposes to develop the Whyalla Solar Farm Project, (the Project) located approximately 10 kilometres (km) by road to the north of Whyalla in the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia (see Figure 1). The proposed action (referred to as the Project) is bounded by the Whyalla Conservation Park to the north, Lincoln Highway to the east, Mount Laura Conservation Reserve to the west and industrial areas to the south. The Project area, which is approximately 396.5 hectares (ha) in size, is located in an area wholly zoned as industrial under the Whyalla Development Plan 2016. The Project will primarily consist of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels rows (that will be set in large blocks), access tracks, inverters, a maintenance shed, and substation with electricity grid connection site office and ablution facilities. The block dimensions for a 2.25 MW tracker array will be approximately 229 by 233 meters (m) and for a 4.5 MW tracker array block will be approximately 233 by 433 m (see Figure 2). A block of solar panels consists of approximately 65 north/south rows and inverter stations (similar in dimensions to a shipping container). Solar panels will have a nominal height of 1.5 m; however, some variance is required due to undulations in the land. Solar panels will be 1.5 to 2 m wide. The panels will be single axis tracking with an east to west tracking orientation. This allows the solar PV array to track the suns path, which increases the energy produced. The Project is located within the City of Whyalla Local Government Area (LGA). The Project is wholly located on a portion of Plan/Parcel D79748/AL1000 which is a freehold lot (Figure 3). The site is not currently subject to an existing land use. A disused dairy farm is located immediately south of the Project area. While historical pastoral activities may have occurred on the site there are no current operations. The Project land has an expired mineral exploration lease over it, and is not encumbered by any mining or petroleum tenements or applications. 1.2 Latitude and longitude The Project is located within the referral study area described in Table 1 and as shown in Figure 4. Table 1 – Coordinates of the referral study area Point Longitude Latitude Easting Northing Longitude Latitude GDA 94 GDA 94 MGA55 MGA55 DMS DMS A 738661.809 6349509.79 137.553526 -32.966698 137° 33' 12.694" E 32° 58' 0.113" S B 740761.43 6349984.25 137.575847 -32.961961 137° 34' 33.049" E 32° 57' 43.061" S C 740909.07 6349127.67 137.577649 -32.969648 137° 34' 39.538" E 32° 58' 10.732" S D 739964.5785 6347629.502 137.567943 -32.983356 137° 34' 4.596" E 32° 59' 0.083" S E 738998.0858 6347470.149 137.557651 -32.985005 137° 33' 27.544" E 32° 59' 6.016" S F 739992.1173 6347626.908 137.568239 -32.983374 137° 34' 5.659" E 32° 59' 0.145" S G 739994.9335 6347610.451 137.568273 -32.983521 137° 34' 5.783" E 32° 59' 0.677" S H 739833.5958 6347354.5 137.566615 -32.985863 137° 33' 59.813" E 32° 59' 9.108" S I 740058.1313 6347067.921 137.56909 -32.988396 137° 34' 8.725" E 32° 59' 18.227" S J 740120.5783 6346889.131 137.569805 -32.989994 137° 34' 11.297" E 32° 59' 23.977" S K 740171.1436 6346611.85 137.570418 -32.992481 137° 34' 13.505" E 32° 59' 32.932" S L 740161.6773 6346612.988 137.570316 -32.992473 137° 34' 13.139" E 32° 59' 32.903" S 001 Referral of proposed action v October 2016 Page 1 Point Longitude Latitude Easting Northing Longitude Latitude GDA 94 GDA 94 MGA55 MGA55 DMS DMS M 740153.9229 6346548.517 137.57025 -32.993056 137° 34' 12.901" E 32° 59' 35.000" S N 740203.2337 6346538.227 137.57078 -32.993138 137° 34' 14.809" E 32° 59' 35.295" S O 740211.7512 6346606.966 137.570853 -32.992516 137° 34' 15.073" E 32° 59' 33.059" S P 740183.7238 6346610.337 137.570553 -32.992492 137° 34' 13.990" E 32° 59' 32.971" S Q 740132.3172 6346892.231 137.56993 -32.989963 137° 34' 11.746" E 32° 59' 23.867" S R 740068.8973 6347073.807 137.569204 -32.988341 137° 34' 9.134" E 32° 59' 18.027" S S 739857.6467 6347343.43 137.566875 -32.985958 137° 34' 0.749" E 32° 59' 9.448" S T 739856.3834 6347368.14 137.566855 -32.985735 137° 34' 0.677" E 32° 59' 8.647" S U 739986.0077 6347573.714 137.568187 -32.983854 137° 34' 5.474" E 32° 59' 1.875" S V 740024.961 6347582.546 137.568601 -32.983766 137° 34' 6.965" E 32° 59' 1.558" S W 740057.2341 6347633.745 137.568933 -32.983298 137° 34' 8.159" E 32° 58' 59.872" S X 740023.1015 6347655.26 137.568562 -32.983111 137° 34' 6.825" E 32° 58' 59.201" S Y 740005.0657 6347647.551 137.568372 -32.983185 137° 34' 6.138" E 32° 58' 59.465" S Z 739984.4261 6347660.802 137.568147 -32.98307 137° 34' 5.331" E 32° 58' 59.052" S 1.3 Locality and property description The Project is located in the Gawler Interim Biogeographical Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) Region and Myall Plains IBRA sub-region in South Australia. The nearest residential township is Whyalla, located approximately 10 km to the south of the site. Port Augusta is located 55 km to the north. The nearest major centre is Adelaide located approximately 220 km to the south of the Project. The Project area is dominated by flat, vacant land which generally ranges from 20 m Australian Height Datum (AHD) to 55 m AHD, rising from the east to west. The ground level slopes to the north-west and south-west areas of the Project site. The highest elevation in the area is Mount Laura which is approximately 174 m AHD, located approximately 3.5 km to the south-west of the Project site. The Project is located within the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resource Management Region, one of the driest regions in Australia (Department of Water 2010). The region is described as arid to semi-arid due to the sparse vegetation, erodible soil characteristics and the ephemeral nature of the regions watercourses (only flow following significant rainfall events). Surface water resources within this area are scarce due to the low rainfall and high evaporation rates (Department of Water 2010). Watercourses to the east of the Project site discharge to the Spencer Gulf in the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park, which is a recognised Wetland of National Importance. Mapping indicates a single watercourse intersecting the southern boundary of the Project area near the nominal location for the substation. There are also number of mapped drainage features to the south-west Project area. The Project is described as a portion of Plan/Parcel D79748 AL1000 which is a freehold lot. The Project area is bounded by the Whyalla Conservation Park to the north, Lincoln Highway to the east, Mount Laura Conservation Reserve to the west and industrial areas to the south. Access is via Industrial Drive which connects to Arthur Glennie Drive which in turn, connects to Iron Knob Road and the Lincoln Highway. There are no homesteads or residential areas in the vicinity of the Project that are a likely to be impacted by the development. The closest residential area to the Project is on the southern side of Iron Knob Road, approximately 3 km to the south-west. There is a high voltage overhead transmission line and water main that traverse the eastern portion of the site in an adjacent alignment. 001 Referral of proposed action v October 2016 Page 2 1.4 Size of the development footprint or work area (hectares) The Project footprint covers an area of 396.5 ha with the disturbance footprint for the solar panels, associated infrastructure and access roads. It is anticipated that approximately 382 ha of remnant vegetation will be cleared for the overall Project, including the solar panels and associated infrastructure. The referral Project area is shown in Figure 1 and the proposed layout and disturbance area is shown in Figure 2. 1.5 Street address of the site 165 Industry Drive, Whyalla Barson, South Australia 1.6 Lot description The Project area is located entirely within Allotment 1000 on Deposited Plan 79748, in the area named Whyalla Barson Hundreds of Cultana and Randell. 1.7 Local Government Area and Council contact (if known) The Project is located entirely within the City of Whyalla LGA. The relevant council contacts are: The CEO City of Whyalla Civic Building, Darling Terrace Whyalla, SA, 5600 1.8 Time frame Adani aims to have all the relevant approvals including the Development Application completed by quarter (Q) 1 2018 with construction to commence immediately following grant of approvals Q1 2018. Subject to obtaining grant of relevant approvals, commercial operation is planned to commence in Q1 2019 and employ a peak workforce of 150 personnel during construction. 1.9 Alternatives to proposed action No. Yes, please also complete section 2.2 1.10 Alternative time frames, locations or activities No.