Pioneer Energy has just been given approval by Minister for the Environment Penny Simmonds to proceed with its Jericho wind farm in Southland through fast-track legislation.
But Pioneer Energy chief executive Fraser Jonker said it was far from certain the company would opt for the fast-track process.
Along with the Jericho wind farm project, Pioneer Energy is also proposing a large wind farm between Balclutha and Clinton, Project Kaihiku, with Manawa Energy. It had not yet decided whether it would apply for the fast-track consenting process for Project Kaihiku.
Project Kaihiku is planned to have a capacity of 300MW and if built would generate enough electricity to power about 135,000 households.
Jericho is on a smaller scale with a maximum output of about 35MW and will include up to eight wind turbines with blade tips up to 210m high.
The Jericho project will cost about $100 million and be built near Otautau.
Mrs Simmonds said granting the fast-track process for the project meant the company had two years to apply.
Mr Jonker said the company was still gathering information and talking to the community about the project. He said once that was carried out the company would weigh up whether to go down the Resource Management Act route or opt for the fast-track process.
"We will consider either and with the traditional route you have to carry out more community engagement", he said.
"But you have to remember with the fast-track process, it is not without risk. If you miss out you can’t appeal. You miss out.
"Then they can approve it with conditions and those conditions can make the whole project no longer viable."
Fast-track applications were seen as a way to hasten the consenting of schemes but there was still work to be carried out.
It was hoped to have all the investigations into the Jericho wind farm completed by the end of the year or into the first quarter of next year and then assess the next step.
Contact Energy is also proposing a large wind farm in Southland and has chosen the fast-track legislation process.
After the fast-track panel invited comments, Contact Energy suspended the process for a month as it replied to comments from interested parties.
It has also had its visual landscape study and ecology study criticised in reports commissioned by the EPA panel and had to reply to those comments.
