NORWEGIAN firm Equinor and its Australian partner Oceanex have scrapped plans to develop a 1022 sq km wind zone off the coast of the Illawarra.

Proposal plans have been removed from their websites and they have reportedly decided not to submit a formal application for a feasibility licence with the federal government.

Equinor and Oceanex had previously claimed construction in Illawarra could start in 2028, with the turbines providing power by 2030.

Equinor and Oceanex reportedly chose not to proceed after the government reduced the zone by a third and pushed it 20km offshore, following significant community and political opposition. They will instead pursue the development of other wind zones to the north.

According to reports, the federal government’s decision to scale back the wind zone had made the project “unattractive” and “too complicated” for investment and development.

In mid-June, the federal government cut the Illawarra wind zone by a third to 1022 sq km, and moved it further offshore to protect the environment in response to community feedback.

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