West Arthur wind and battery project referred for federal environmental review

Lacour Energy has referred the West Arthur Energy project for federal environmental assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Project scale and location

Located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, the West Arthur Energy project sits three kilometres south of Darkan and 40 kilometres east of Collie. This development comprises a wind farm capable of generating up to 736 MW via the installation of as many as 92 turbines. Alongside these generation assets, the site incorporates battery storage with a capacity of up to 500 MW and 4,000 MWh.

The infrastructure links to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), which serves as the main transmission network for the state’s southern population centres.

Regulatory status and land tenure

The project was referred for state approval less than one month earlier. The development footprint spans both freehold and Crown land within the Shire of West Arthur.

Environmental and social considerations

• The site falls within the boundaries of the Gnaala Karla Booja Native Title Claim Area (WI2015/005).
• GKB Aboriginal Corporation and the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) act as representatives for the native title holders.
• Documentation confirms that the endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoo has been observed in the area.
• Lacour Energy maintains that the project does not meet the criteria for a controlled action under the EPBC Act.
• A Construction Environment Management Plan is set to be put in place to manage environmental impacts throughout the construction phase.

Background

On 15 October 2026, Luminity disclosed that Lacour Energy has officially applied for approval to develop the West Arthur wind farm within the Shire of West Arthur, Western Australia. Previous reporting highlighted that the project depends on the Clean Energy Link for grid connection to mitigate the risk of power curtailment. Currently, no schedule has been established for the federal government’s decision regarding the active environmental referral.

Species assessments and grid integration details

EPBC referral paperwork confirms that thorough evaluations were completed for the Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Baudin’s Cockatoo, Chuditch, and Red-tailed Phascogale, determining that the development would not trigger significant impact thresholds. Although the Carnaby’s Cockatoo has been spotted in the vicinity, the filings indicate an absence of nesting sites or established roosting habitats. The location is characterized as a low-density rural zone made up mainly of agricultural holdings, where 98% of the terrain was already cleared for farming. All planned structures will occupy freehold parcels, with the sole exceptions being subterranean cabling and high-voltage transmission corridors. Per the project’s online materials, generated electricity will travel along the Clean Energy Link – East to the Collie area, subsequently connecting to the broader Western Power grid via legacy lines formerly used by coal plants. The website further asserts that the facility is ideally situated to facilitate the shift from coal-based power to renewable sources.

What to watch

The immediate next milestone is the public submission deadline on November 26.