THE state government must rule out construction of a 500 kilovolt overhead electricity transmission line through Gippsland, the opposition says.
Gippsland South MLA Danny O’Brien said he was alarmed to see planning documents for a $300 million to $700 million overhead power cable running from the Latrobe Valley through to the Giffard area, south of Sale.
The ‘Victorian Renewable Energy Zones Development Plan Directions Paper February 2021’ states the double circuit overhead transmission line would require a new easement from the Latrobe Valley, stating vaguely “…. (either Hazelwood or Loy Yang) to Gippsland”, and would take four to give years to be completed.
“The project targets renewable developments in Gippsland that have access to a good and diverse wind resource in the region as well as potential solar and storage projects,” the paper reads.
“The projects require an extension of the transmission network to provide access to a strong and unconstrained part of the network.”
The paper, however, acknowledges the risk of delivery of the project is “high”.
It says native vegetation clearing would be needed, and infrastructure may be close to sensitive areas like the Holey Plains State Park, Stradbroke Flora and Fauna Reserve and Mullungdung State Forest.
It notes there were conflicting land uses along the potential route which intercepted farming, residential, township and rural living, public conservation and resource and public park and recreational zones.
A new terminal station and easements would be required, which may necessitate “compulsory processes”, with the time and cost uncertain.
The paper also acknowledges potential community concerns such as visual impacts and loss of agricultural land.
Mr O’Brien said the notion overhead electricity transmission lines would be built was at complete odds with the move to renew and modernise Victoria’s energy grid.
“It beggars belief that the government has put out this directions paper with a proposal for an overhead transmission line through the exact area that fought so hard against the Basslink project and its pylons 20 years ago,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Gippslanders will not accept the visual intrusion of massive overhead power lines as part of a new project, and the government must rule it out immediately.
“There is strong support, including from me, for the proposed Star of the South offshore wind project and the Solis RE solar farm development, however any transmission cables need to go underground if they are to win local community support,” Mr O’Brien said.
A state government spokesperson did not rule out the possibility that overhead power lines would be installed, but said “community safety” was always a priority when planning and designing transmission infrastructure.
“The development of Renewable Energy Zones is still in its planning stages and decisions about the infrastructure roll-out will be made on a case-by-case basis,” she said.
The government is establishing a new body, VicGrid, to actively plan and develop the zones. Potential priority projects were outlined in the directions paper.
Submissions on the paper closed on March 31, and the government says they will be carefully considered before any final decisions are made.
A full Renewable Energy Zones Development Plan will be released in July.
Victoria has an agenda to increase the share of electricity produced from renewable sources and has legislated renewable energy targets of 25 per cent of electricity generation by 2020, 40 per cent by 2025, and 50 per cent by 2030.
