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    State Government agency VicGrid last week announced guidelines for a draft Victorian Transmission Plan, which it will publish next year.

Victorian Transmission Plan ‘gutting prime agricultural land’

State Member for Lowan Emma Kealy and Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster are encouraging people to provide feedback on a forthcoming energy plan they say could jeopardise agricultural land in the Wimmera-Mallee region.

State Government agency VicGrid last week announced guidelines for a draft Victorian Transmission Plan, which it will publish next year.

The plan will guide the restructuring of Victoria’s energy production and transmission systems as the state moves away from coal power towards renewable energy.

The guidelines outline study areas VicGrid will investigate as potential future renewable energy zones, REZs.



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Study areas are classified in three tiers, with tier one areas being prioritised for investigation as possible future sites for renewable energy generation and transmission.

A map of study areas published by VicGrid shows large parts of the Mallee and northern Wimmera regions in tier one, along with large parts of south-western Victoria and smaller parts of Gippsland and north-central Victoria.

Other areas of the Wimmera and Mallee are included in tiers two and three.

While VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker said initial study areas would reduce dramatically to only a handful of areas as the plan progressed, Ms Kealy said the government risked compromising ‘prime agricultural land’ in the Wimmera and Mallee.

She said the guidelines announced last week showed little consideration for farmers.

“This sends a devastatingly clear message to our food and fibre producers that Labor does not care about the massive impact this plan will have on farmers’ ability to grow the produce that feeds the people of our state,” she said.

“Farmers keep food on our tables and are the cornerstone of our economy in western Victoria, but Labor seemingly has no plans for replacing the huge volumes of lost food production these projects would cause.

“No-one is arguing our power delivery system needs upgrading, but there are ways to achieve this without gutting prime agricultural land.”

Dr Webster said she had written to landholders affected by the ongoing VNI West project aiming to link renewable energy grids in Victoria and New South Wales, encouraging them to make submissions to the Victorian Transmission Plan.
“Despite earlier indications of six Victorian renewable energy zones, clearly Mallee is the prime target in Labor’s sights,” she said.

“Wind prospect mapping has consistently shown that coastal areas and those with high elevations have the best prospects for wind energy, not the River Murray tributaries and floodplains that are tier one, according to the government.

“We are seeing offshore wind hitting serious community and environmental objections, yet somehow the views of coastal Australians matter more than my constituents.”

Mr Parker said REZs were far from finalised and submissions from residents, as well as local government, traditional owners and the energy industry, would all be considered when shaping the draft Victorian Transmission Plan.

“We are changing the way energy infrastructure is delivered in Victoria and early and meaningful engagement is at the heart of our approach,” he said.

People can view the plan guidelines, including a map of study areas, as well as provide feedback by visiting engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan.

Submissions close on August 25.

The entire July 31, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!