The Collgar Windfarm doesn't have any of the problems associated with East Coast power generation - but you can probably sheet a lot of Australias power generations problems right into politicians laps.
They're the ones who played around with electricity power prices, power station ownership, and a dozen other related issues, that have led to distortions in the power generation business on both the East Coast and the West Coast.
None of them had any foresight to see what renewable energy in the form of home solar installations would do to coal-fired power stations profitability - let alone the pressure to close inefficient coal-fired power stations.
In W.A., the Liberal Barnett Govt has blown no less than $250 MILLION of taxpayers money on trying to restore a power station with rusty boilers - and it will never make any money, even after its finished. That's what happens when you let politicians make financial decisions. They can't even figure out when corrosion has damaged a coal fired power station beyond repair - and spend multiple tens of millions before they realise they should have done some more homework, first.
Botched coal-fired Power Station refurbishment expected to lead to $250M loss for taxpayers
WA government says no to new renewable energy : Renew Economy
Collgar Windfarm was constructed on a fixed-price, turn-key basis with Vestas, and is currently fully operational. It was completed ahead of schedule.
It provides regular power output, is not "idled" at any time, and is operated and maintained on contract by Vestas. Vestas has an initial 10 yr O&M contract, with two possible extensions. The turbines life is expected to be 25 years, and all calculations have been done on that basis.
This is an overview presented after 100 turbine had been installed, and around 5 mths before completion of the project -
http://sen.asn.au/images/pages/prese...idesJune13.pdf
Fast facts about Collgar;
Operating at 50% efficiency
111 turbine towers
40,000 cu. m. of concrete
4000 tonnes of reinforcing
270,000 cu. m. of soil excavation
74 kms of roads.
Each tower base contains approximately 360 cu. m. of concrete = approx. 900 tonnes.
Collgar windfarm - Mobile Concreting Solutions
This was a $750M project, and a lot of W.A. companies and employees made a lot of money from it. Everyone from truckies, to concreters, to earthmovers, to electricians, to farmers, to general labourers, benefitted.
The project has unwavering full community support and the generation of an average 792,000MWh of power per year is providing around 4% of Western Australias electricity requirements.
One of the interesting features of windpower in the interior of Australia (which goes against the regular argument that "the wind never blows when you want it to"), is that the wind picks up regularly on sunrise due to the suns heating effect on the land, thus providing early morning power when needed.