The plan also includes two offshore wind areas – off Gippsland and Warrnambool.
VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker said the seven proposed onshore zones identified in the plan were chosen for their suitability to host renewable energy projects, taking into account feedback from communities, landholders, traditional owners, the quality of wind and solar resources, existing land uses and how projects could connect to the grid.
He said VicGrid had listened and learnt from the agriculture industry to ensure the draft plan minimised impacts and focused development in areas where farming and renewable energy were believed to be more compatible.
“If you’re a landholder in a renewable energy zone, you can choose whether to host new wind or solar farms on your property – it’s your decision and we encourage landholders to discuss this with their neighbours,” he said.
“All proposed projects will continue to be subject to planning and environmental approval processes.”
Mr Parker said VicGrid was also working to ensure new transmission was built in the right places and at the right time to reduce the total amount of new transmission needed to keep costs as low as possible.
“We have prioritised upgrades to existing transmission lines wherever possible to minimise impacts on landholders and communities and to limit cost impacts on consumer power bills,” he said.
Projects inside renewable energy zones will be required to contribute to Renewable Energy Zone Community Energy Funds, in addition to benefits provided by proponents.
Projects outside of a renewable energy zone will also be required to meet standards of community engagement and benefits set out by the State Government, and will be subject to a Grid Impact Assessment.
As part of this assessment, the project must prove it will not have a negative impact on other projects inside the zone by limiting their generation and taking up capacity on the grid.
“We are changing the way energy infrastructure is planned to give communities a real say from the beginning of the process and working closely with key industries like agriculture to ensure they continue to thrive,” Mr Parker said.
But state opposition spokesperson for energy and resources David Davis said VicGrid’s plan was just another multibillion-dollar energy scheme that Victorians would have to foot the bill for.
Mr Davis said new documents revealed a $4.3-billion plan to construct hundreds of kilometres of new transmission lines across the state.
He said rural communities and property owners were being left in the dark on how their land and livelihoods would be impacted.
“These ‘zones’ and the hundreds of kilometres of new wires connecting them will cost billions of dollars, which will turbocharge increases in the bills of every Victorian household and small business,” he said.
“The extraordinary costs of construction of hundreds of kilometres of wires and special payments to ‘traditional owners’ as well as payments to landholders will be added to every Victorian’s electricity bills.
“The $4.3-billion estimate is not worth the paper it is written on and it could easily be more than twice this number. Labor should release their detailed costing for public scrutiny.”
The draft plan is now out for community and industry feedback ahead of the release of the final plan later this year.
VicGrid will host community consultation sessions, from 10am to 3pm, at Horsham’s Centre for Participation, 39 Urquhart Street, every Tuesday until June 17; and at Grampians Community Health, 8-22 Patrick Street, Stawell, every Wednesday until June 18.
People can also have their say on the plan at engage.vic.gov.au/vicgrid.
