Access to documents related to the awarding of Major Project Status to Project Ares on 28 April 2026

Written by Claude Haiku 5.5 from the extracted text on 16 Oct 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

The release concerns the awarding of Major Project Status (MPS) to Project Ares, a proposed $11.9 billion hyperscale data centre in the Northern Territory by Energy North, approved by Minister Tim Ayres on 28 April 2026. The documents include ministerial letters to the proponent and the NT Chief Minister, the MPS application form, a ministerial submission with key points and next steps, internal email chains, and stakeholder and approvals material. Project details cover a 500 MW first phase expandable to 1 GW, with 1.5 GW of co-located solar, battery storage and gas backup, and job estimates of 4,400 construction roles and 200 to 300 ongoing roles. Noted risks include likely classification as critical infrastructure under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018, EPBC and NT EPA approvals, land tenure and water resource constraints at Murranji Station, and the need for MPS holders to remain fit and proper. Several passages are redacted under s 47 and s 47G. The extract contains inconsistencies in job figures between letters, and the MPS does not guarantee approval outcomes.