SunCable has signed a landmark 70-year agreement with Traditional Owners and the Northern Land Council to build Australia's largest solar farm. The multimillion-dollar agreement will see SunCable construct a 12,000-hectare solar farm on Powell Creek Station, near the town of Elliott in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory.

The deal involves more than 200 Traditional Owners who hold native title over the earmarked land. The agreement includes what are described as “stringent” environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation agreements.

Project Specifications and Scope

Mike Cannon-Brookes' USD 40 billion SunCable project is set to comprise a 6-gigawatt solar farm and battery storage in the Northern Territory. The infrastructure will include 800 km of high-voltage transmission lines running overland to Darwin, and 4,300 km of undersea cables connecting to Singapore via Indonesian waters.

SunCable CEO Ryan Willemsen-Bell said the agreement is a step towards creating a “compelling proposition to attract global investment in an AI data center precinct.” The project is designed to harness the Northern Territory's solar resources to deliver renewable electricity to industrial customers in the Northern Territory and Southeast Asia.

Negotiation Process and Consultation

SunCable first approached the Northern Land Council in 2019 and opened negotiations with Traditional Owners about options for a land use agreement in 2022. The Northern Land Council has undertaken over 70 consultations to meet and bring together many families across Darwin, Katherine, Elliott, Tennant Creek, and other remote locations where people live.

The agreement specifically involves the Traditional Owners of Janigirulu, Bamayu, and Walanypirri, who the Northern Land Council represents in this deal.

Stakeholder Statements

Northern Land Council chairman Matthew Ryan expressed pride in the negotiated agreement. “The Northern Land Council is proud to have negotiated this deal with Suncable on behalf of the Traditional Owners of Janigirulu, Bamayu and Walanypirri,” Ryan said. “It sends a clear message that the Northern Territory is open for business. This demonstrates that Aboriginal Territorians are leading the way by participating in genuine engagement with big business.”

SunCable CEO Ryan Willemsen-Bell described the significance of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement. “Today's signing of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement marks the beginning of an enduring partnership between SunCable, the Northern Land Council, and the Powell Creek Native Title Holders to develop this transformative renewable energy project in the Northern Territory,” Willemsen-Bell commented.

He further characterized the agreement as “a symbol of partnership, of shared vision, and of mutual respect.” Willemsen-Bell noted that “SunCable is developing one of the largest renewable energy projects in the region, designed to harness the Northern Territory's world-class solar resource to deliver reliable, cost-effective renewable electricity to industrial customers in the Northern Territory and SouthEast Asia.”

Walanypirri Traditional Owner Peter Henderson emphasized the agreement's cultural significance. “Culture and country is really important to us. This deal shows how strong our Native Title is,” Henderson said. “We hope other TOs can also stand together and negotiate agreements to bring business on their country, just like us.”

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