This month the WA Government announced that four large‑scale onshore wind projects had been designated as Priority Projects under the State Development Act, marking the first renewable energy developments to progress under the new framework.
The projects, located across the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions, are included in the Government’s initial set of Priority Projects, alongside broader industrial initiatives. Priority Project designation is reserved for developments assessed as strategically significant to the State, particularly where coordinated engagement across multiple government agencies is required.
Under the State Development Act, once a project receives Priority Project status, responsibility for coordinating approvals and agency engagement moves to the Office of the Coordinator General. The role of the Coordinator General is to facilitate a whole‑of‑government approach to planning, environmental assessment and regulatory processes, with the objective of reducing duplication and improving clarity for projects progressing through complex approval pathways.
The largest of the four projects is the Parron Maam Marang Wind Farm, a proposed 470‑megawatt onshore wind development in the Mid West being progressed by Zephyr Energy. The project is located close to existing grid infrastructure and is targeting electricity supply in the late-2028 timeframe. It has secured offtake arrangements that position it as a key contributor to future generation supply.
Also in the Mid West, Alinta Energy is progressing the Marri Wind Farm, an onshore wind project of up to 550 megawatts proposed south of Dandaragan. The project has been identified as a significant source of replacement capacity as older generation assets retire from the South West Interconnected System.
In the Wheatbelt, the Kondinin Wind Farm is a proposed 130‑megawatt onshore wind project. Development work continues on planning and grid connection, with delivery expected later this decade.
The Narrogin Wind Farm, being developed by Neoen near the towns of Narrogin and Williams, also received Priority Project status. With a proposed capacity of 180 megawatts, Narrogin is among the most advanced of the four projects, having already progressed through key state and federal approvals and targeting operation in the late‑2020s.
Together, the four projects represent more than one gigawatt of proposed renewable generation capacity. Their inclusion as the first renewable energy developments designated under the framework highlights the role large‑scale onshore wind is expected to play in Western Australia’s evolving electricity system.
The Priority Project framework is intended to provide greater certainty around how major generation infrastructure is assessed and coordinated across government, at a time when the State is managing increasing renewable penetration, transmission development and changes to its generation mix. The Government has described the framework as a coordination mechanism rather than a form of deregulation, with existing approval standards continuing to apply.