Uaroo Renewable Energy Hub

Overview

Pilbara Energy (Generation) Pty Ltd proposes to construct and operate the Uaroo Renewable Energy Hub on the Uaroo and Emu Creek Pastoral Stations located 120 kilometres south of Onslow, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. 

The proposal is to construct and operate a renewable energy generation hub to power Fortescue Metals Group Limited’s mining operations in the Pilbara. 

The proposal will generate electricity (up to 5.4 gigawatts) from up to 340 wind turbine generators and a solar farm. The proposal includes a battery energy storage system, substations, associated supporting infrastructure, tracks and roads, and corridors for electrical cabling. 

The proposal would include a disturbance footprint of up to 10,158 hectares (ha) within a development envelope of 61,525 ha.  

During construction, the proposal would require abstraction of up to 6.5 gigalitres at a rate of 1 gigalitre per annum (GL/a) of groundwater. During operation, groundwater abstraction would be up to 0.2 GL/a

Why your views matter

At this initial stage of the EIA process, comment is simply sought on whether or not the EPA should assess a proposal and, if so, what level of assessment is considered appropriate.

What happens next

Following the seven day public comment period and consideration of any comments received, the EPA will decide whether or not this proposal requires environmental impact assessment and, if so, what level of assessment will be applied.

The EPA's decisions on level of assessment are released each Monday on the EPA's website.