General News
5 June, 2023
Government fast tracks new VNI West option
The Victorian Government has made changes to its preferred route for the controversial Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) project while also accelerating work, impacting new landholders. VNI West, delivered by the Australian...
The Victorian Government has made changes to its preferred route for the controversial Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) project while also accelerating work, impacting new landholders.
VNI West, delivered by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Transgrid, is a proposed high capacity, 500 kilovolt double-circuit overhead transmission line that will link the state’s power grid with New South Wales.
Late last month, the government announced it had signed off on a preferred development plan for the project, including plans to issue a ministerial order to progress the preferred route of the planned transmission lines.
The preferred development plan, option 5A, is a 500 kV double-circuit overhead transmission line connecting the Western Renewables Link (WRL) transmission project at Bulgana with Energy Connect at Dinawan in New South Wales, crossing the Murray River north of Kerang. The option includes the uprating of WRL to 500 kV from North of Ballarat to Bulgana in Victoria.
The project forms part of the State Government’s push to reach its target of 95 percent renewable energy by 2035, however it has drawn significant controversy from landowners and farmers expected to be impacted by the project.
In a statement, Hepburn Shire mayor Brian Hood said it was positive to see a terminal station was no longer proposed for Mount Prospect, however expressed concerns over the project’s continued concerns about the increase in size of the transmission line towers and lack of genuine consideration for running underground lines rather than overhead.
“The community and Council have campaigned strongly against the location of the terminal station in our Shire, consequently we are very pleased to see it is no longer the preferred option,” he said.
“At the same time, we feel for the communities who are now facing the unwelcome prospect of a terminal station and towers in their region. We sincerely hope AEMO and Transgrid will engage more closely with the community as the projects continue.”
Cr Hood said the biggest concerns for Hepburn Shire Council now are the significant towers and easements planned as part of the proposed Western Renewables Link corridor, which forms part of VNI West.
“This is a beautiful part of the world. There is strong visitation and economic activity through tourism and it is also some of the best agricultural land in Victoria. It is incredibly disappointing that undergrounding transmission lines has not been genuinely considered in either project given these towers will be up to 80 metres high and easements up to 100 metres wide,” he said.
“Farmers will face the unwelcome prospect of massive easements around transmission infrastructure on their property, thereby restricting agricultural activities in this incredibly productive land.
“Given these challenges we question the rationale of maintaining the currently proposed alignment of WRL through Hepburn Shire now that the terminal station will be relocated. On that basis we will be continuing to advocate strongly for a change to the proposed route.”
A Ministerial Order has been implemented to progress the preferred option, which connects VNI West from Dinawan Energy Hub in NSW, via a new terminal station near Kerang directly to the WRL at a new terminal station near Bulgana in Northern Grampians Shire (rather than at Mount Prospect in Hepburn Shire).
“While Council is highly supportive of renewable energy there has been a missed opportunity for genuine consideration for placing powerlines underground in some of the more sensitive areas. The refusal to consider that option represents inappropriately short-term thinking,” Cr Hood said.
“We encourage the community to continue to make their voices heard throughout this process, including the upcoming Environmental Impact Assessment process.”
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) have been vocal with their concerns over the project for some time and have slammed the government’s decision to proceed with transmission developments.
VFF President Emma Germano said Victoria’s Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio is using extreme powers to come over the top of farming communities and force transmission towers to be built on their land.
“Farmers are being ignored by the Andrews Government in the planning for renewable energy and transmission development across the state,” she said.
“We want to be able to say that Victoria’s plan for transmission is the best in the country. That it takes into account our food and fibre security as well as our energy security at a time when the cost of living is biting every Victorian family.
“Instead, we have no plan for our transmission network and as a consequence the projects currently underway should not have the support of any Victorian.”