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The lights are well and truly back on in Whyalla with Mayor Lyn Breuer confirming the surge of interest in the city since the purchase of the steelworks by GFG Alliance.
The boost in confidence in Whyalla continues to power on this week with news that GFG Alliance executive chairman Sanjeev Gupta has committed to $700m in large-scale renewable energy projects in the Upper Spencer Gulf through ZEN Energy, a company he recently acquired a 50.1% share in.
The projects endorsed by the ZEN board on Monday include 200MW of solar PV in which 80MW will be within the City of Whyalla’s industrial area and the remainder on the adjacent land owned by GFG along with 100MW of “demand response” at the steelworks and other sites.
A 100MWh lithium-ion battery is planned for Port Augusta while there is a project for 120MW/600MWh of pumped hydro at a disused iron ore mine in the nearby Middleback Ranges along with another 480MW of future solar capacity in Whyalla and elsewhere in South Australia.
“We knew we had turned the corner when GFG Alliance and Mr Gupta purchased the Arrium group and our steelworks and these sort of projects confirm that,” Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer said.
“The confidence in this town is really running high now and we, as a council, are already seeing other companies making enquiries about opportunities in Whyalla.
“Council had already been talking to a range of companies about coming to Whyalla before the Arrium purchase and these companies, and more, are showing real interest now that GFG Alliance is here and starting to announce these exciting power projects for Whyalla.
“We hope to be making to some exciting announcements ourselves about other new industry in Whyalla in the near future that will provide real jobs and opportunities for the people of Whyalla.”
In a statement, Mr Gupta said these first energy steps in Whyalla would improve reliability and greatly reduce the costs of electricity in the Whyalla steelworks while also providing competitive sources of power for other industrial and commercial users.
Mayor Breuer welcomed these comments and said Whyalla was being positioned to be one of the leading lights in renewable energy in the country.
“Mr Gupta’s commitment to these projects in Whyalla shows his confidence in our town and our economy,” Mayor Breuer said.
“Whyalla can now look forward to a sustainable economic future and we, along with our sister cities of Port Augusta and Port Pirie, are being viewed nationally as renewed power in energy and industry.
“The lights are definitely back on Whyalla and we are seeing a massive surge in confidence and planned developments that will result in jobs and prosperity in our city and region.”
The ZEN projects are estimated to be up and running by early 2019.
Pictured: Senator for South Australia Anne Ruston, SA Premier Jay Weatherill, Member for Giles Eddie Hughes, Sanjeev Gupta, Mayor Lyn Breuer and Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey at the Arrium handover in September.