A LOCAL council CEO said details regarding the sale of the Berri solar project will remain in confidence until it is “signed, sealed and delivered”.
Berri Barmera Council’s negotiations with prospective buyers of the rights to the solar farm project, to be located on the corner of Hoskin and Moritz roads, have remained in confidence since expressions of interest were first sought in 2019.
However, according to a Native Vegetation Clearance report produced by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and released in April 2021, ownership of the land – which currently belongs to the council – will soon be transferred to Utilacor Pty Ltd, a Victoria-based energy management company.
At council’s most recent monthly meeting, elected members voted to keep information regarding the expressions of interest for the rights and intellectual property for the project in confidence for a period of 12 months, unless revoked by CEO Karyn Burton.
The reasons for exclusion listed in the report included that release of the commercial information “could reasonably be expected to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied the information, or to confer a commercial advantage on a third party”.
Ms Burton said it would be contrary to the public interest to release information while contracts were still being negotiated, but council was following due process.
“I have had a full probity report done to make sure everything council has done is above board and (that we have) followed everything to a tee,” she said.
“What has been taking a long time is working through the terms of agreement on the sale with the successful tenderer.”
Initially recommended by then-CEO, and current Loxton Waikerie council CEO, David Beaton, development applications for a solar project owned and operated by council at the site of the old Berri racecourse were first lodged in early 2017, following a decision by council.
The project was costed at $25 million, via a $5 million loan from the State Government – since returned – and a $20 million contribution by council loaned from the Local Government Finance Authority.
Construction on the facility was due to begin in September 2017, and be completed by September 2018.
According to a business case completed in February 2017, Accolade Wines and the Central Irrigation Trust were expected to enter into agreements to purchase power from the facility.
However, in July 2019, council resolved to seek expressions of interest to sell the project after Accolade Wines reneged on the agreement.
The DEW report states the project will now consist of up to 4.95 megawatts of solar generation equipment – down from a 10-megawatt capacity under council’s initial proposal – from about 12,000 solar panels, plus associated infrastructure.
The sale is expected to include the rights to develop the solar farm and intellectual property related to the shovel-ready project, such as development applications.
Ms Burton refused to confirm details from the DEW report when contacted due to the confidential nature of the negotiations.