The Latrobe Valley, Victoria's historic coal-fired power base, is set for a landmark transformation with the announcement of the state's first publicly owned wind farm.
A New Chapter for Victoria's Power Heartland
The Victorian government's revived State Electricity Commission (SEC) has confirmed the purchase of the $650 million Delburn wind farm project. This significant investment will see the construction of a 33-turbine facility in the Latrobe Valley, a region long synonymous with privately owned coal plants like the now-closed Hazelwood station.
Climate advocates have hailed the move as a pivotal turning point. Construction is scheduled to commence in early 2026, with the 205-megawatt project expected to be fully operational by 2028. Once complete, it will generate enough electricity to power approximately 130,000 homes.
From Coal Stacks to Wind Turbines
The symbolism of the location is potent. The new turbines will overlook the site of the former Hazelwood coal-fired power station and mine, whose iconic chimney stacks were demolished in 2020. Wendy Farmer, Gippsland organiser for Friends of the Earth's Yes2Renewables campaign, described the announcement as a "new chapter" for the region.
"You knew exactly where you were when you saw the Hazelwood stacks," Farmer said. "These new turbines will be a new marker on the landscape. People will be able to see that this place is changing."
Powering the Renewable Transition
The SEC, resurrected by the Andrews government in 2022 after decades of privatisation, stated the Delburn project would act as a "beacon for renewable energy generation investment" in the state. Victorian Energy and Climate Minister Lily D'Ambrosio emphasised the return of public ownership, stating all SEC profits would be reinvested into further renewable projects.
SEC chief executive Chris Miller noted the Latrobe Valley's century-long role as Victoria's power engine and affirmed its critical future role in the transition from fossil fuels. The wind farm is projected to operate for at least 35 years and create more than 300 jobs for the local region.
This acquisition means the SEC now holds over a gigawatt of renewable projects, bringing it almost a quarter of the way towards its 2035 target of 4.5GW of renewable generation and storage. The announcement follows closely the recent activation of the SEC's co-owned 600MW Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, the largest battery yet connected to Australia's main eastern grid.
