Nexif Energy hits financial close on first stage of 212MW Lincoln Gap wind farm

The project is expected to be operational by 1Q19.

Independent power producer Nexif Energy announced that it has reached financial close for the first stage of the Lincoln Gap Wind Farm in Australia.

Located near Port Augusta in South Australia, the Lincoln Gap Wind Farm project’s 126 megawatts (MW) first stage involves the construction and operation of 36 wind turbines, supported by innovative offtake contracts with Snowy Hydro and ERM Power. The full project, a 59-wind turbine farm, will produce 212MW, which is enough electricity to power approximately 155,000 homes. The project will feed into the State’s electricity grid via the ElectraNet transmission network.

The project also includes installation of a utility scale battery system of 10MW, with potential expansion capability to utilise battery technology advancements. This will be one of Australia’s largest private sector-initiated and owned grid battery systems not underwritten by a government contract or funded by government grants.

Lincoln Gap will be constructed under the terms of a turnkey contract with Senvion Australia and is expected to begin operation in Q1 2019. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will act as financier, lending up to A$150M (US$115M) for construction of the first stage of the wind farm and Investec has provided facilities totalling A$39M (US$30M) for working capital and letters of credit.