State-owned Synergy has secured a major regulatory milestone for its proposed Scott River Wind Farm after Western Australia’s Regional Development Assessment Panel (RDAP) approved the project. This approval comes amid sustained community opposition to the onshore wind project.
Community Opposition to the Construction of Synergy’s Scott River Wind Farm
Local residents and environmental advocacy groups have raised concerns about the project’s visual impact on the rural landscape, potential effects on local biodiversity, and the scale of land clearing required for turbine placement and access infrastructure. This has been the case since the Scott River Wind Farm proposal in 2024.
Some community members have also argued that the proposed turbine heights and proximity to sensitive habitats could alter the character of the area and affect tourism and property values. This led to the submission of more than 400 formal objections during of the project’s public consultation and planning phases.
While Western Australia’s Regional Development Assessment Panel ultimately determined that Scott River could proceed subject to strict environmental and planning conditions, opposition groups have continued to call for further scrutiny of site selection and cumulative environmental impacts in the region.
For Synergy, the approval marks a significant step forward for the approximately A$500mn (US$320mn) Scott River Wind Farm. The project is expected to deliver up to 100MW of wind generation capacity in Western Australia’s South West as part of the state’s accelerating coal-to-renewables transition.
Scott River Wind Farm: Project Overview
The wind farm project by Synergy is located about 300km south of Perth near Scott River and will comprise up to 20 wind turbines, each reaching a maximum height of 250 meters to blade tip.
Synergy stated that, following approval, it will now undertake a detailed commercial review to assess project commercial viability, delivery timing, and compliance with approval conditions before making a final investment decision (FID).
Electricity generated from Scott River will connect into the existing Beenup substation and SWIS network. It is expected to supply nearby homes, businesses, and the state grid.
Synergy’s Case for Scott River Wind Farm
Scott River Wind Farm forms part of Synergy’s corporate decarbonization strategy as Western Australia moves to retire all state-owned coal-fired power stations by 2030. The state-owned utility has been expanding its renewable generation portfolio to support grid reliability within the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), which supplies most of the state’s population and industrial demand.
The project is considered important because it strengthens domestic renewable generation closer to load centers. This is while diversifying Western Australia’s growing clean energy mix, which increasingly relies on wind, solar, battery storage, and gas peaking assets. Western Australia is also home to the world’s second-largest onshore wind farm set to help the state transition away from coal.
Scott River Wind Farm Fact Sheet
Developer: Synergy
Location: Scott River, South West Western Australia
Project value: A$500mn (US$320mn)
Capacity: Up to 100MW
Project type: Onshore wind
Number of turbines: Up to 20
Max turbine height: 250m
Land site area: 3,597 hectares
Disturbance area: 107 hectares
Vegetation clearing: Less 1 hectare
Grid connection: Beenup substation/SWIS
2026 Status: Approved, pre-commercial review
Project Cost
Estimated project value: A$500mn (approx. US$320mn)
Developer and owner: Synergy (WA state-owned)
Revenue model: Grid-supplied renewable generation under Synergy portfolio
Project status:
- Planning approved
- Commercial viability review pending
- Pre-FID stage
Project Team
Developer
Regulatory authorities
- Regional Development Assessment Panel (RDAP)
- Western Australia Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)
- Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
- Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Community Groups Opposing Synergy’s WA Wind Project
- Augusta Margaret River Clean Community Energy (AMRCCE)
- Save the Scott River campaign (Link to Facebook Group)
Scott River Wind Farm Project Development Timeline
Early feasibility studies initiated: 2023-2024
Project publicly announced: 2024
Formal development application lodged: 2025
EPA review completed: December 2025
Federal environmental approval: March 2026
RDAP planning approval granted: April 2026
Commercial viability review: 2026 pending
Final investment decision: Pending
Factors Likely to Affect Development Timeline
- Commercial viability review could delay or halt progression
- Ongoing community opposition and reputational pressure
- Environmental compliance conditions
- Procurement and turbine supply-chain pricing
- Grid integration and transmission timing
