Alinta to power Fortescue mines in the Pilbara with solar

Alinta Energy has signed an agreement to power Fortescue Metals Group's daytime stationary energy requirements at its Chichester Hub iron ore operations of Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak with solar energy. The 60MW solar facility will be built as part of the Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid project and a 35MW battery facility will be added by mid-2021. There will also be a 60km transmission line installed to link the mining operations with Alinta's Newman gas-fired power station. The project is expected to displace around 100 million litres annually of diesel used in the existing Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak power plants. Fortescue will invest an estimated $250 million energy transmission infrastructure to integrate its iron ore operations in the Pilbara into an efficient energy network. Alinta will receive A$24.2 million ( $16.5 million) from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and A$90 million ($61 million) from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).