Zenith Energy has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with Northern Star Resources, laying the foundation for Australia’s largest renewable energy project for the mining sector.
Zenith will supply energy to Northern Star’s Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines operations in Western Australia, comprising 256MW of wind generation, 138MW of solar generation, and 138MW/300MWh of battery energy storage.
The power producer will fund, build, own, and operate the renewable power facilities.
Zenith Energy Managing Director Hamish Moffat said the agreement exemplified the energy transition taking place at scale in Western Australia’s Goldfields.
“This renewable energy solution provides Northern Star with cost-effective power while having the future potential to improve energy reliability for Kalgoorlie,” he said.
“Planned local content and collaboration with key community representatives will also make it a great example of a Just Energy Transition.”
Key design, engineering, and procurement work is already underway, and will take Zenith Energy’s contracted generation across Australia to beyond 1.3GW, of which more than 50 per cent is renewable energy.
Australian solar system manufacturer 5B will supply the 138MW solar farm, which will be the largest of its kind deployed for an Australian mining operation and consisting of more than 230,000 solar panels.
Meanwhile, leading wind turbine supplier Goldwind Australia will provide wind turbines for the wind farm, which will be amongst the largest in Australia, with the towers standing 150 metres tall.
Zenith Energy will also source, own and operate a 138MW/300 MWh Battery Energy Storage System to optimise the delivery of renewable energy.
Zenith Energy and Northern Star also entered into a joint venture to supply 120MW of thermal generation to support the renewables and provide backup to Kalgoorlie, along with a 132kV transmission network and substations. Zenith Energy will also build and operate the new thermal power station and transmission infrastructure under the terms of a 25-year arrangement.
Together, the renewable and thermal generation projects will be known as the Eastern Goldfields Power Projects and will significantly lower emissions at the Kalgoorlie operations.
Commissioning of the Eastern Goldfields Power Projects is expected to begin in mid-2027.