Politics & Council
18 November, 2023
Regulator talks to AEMO but not shire on social licence
AUSTRALIAN Energy Regulator has ignored calls to explain why Loddon Shire has been ignored in stakeholder engagement on a transmission line project social licence document. Silence from the Canberra-based regulator comes as Australian Energy Market...
AUSTRALIAN Energy Regulator has ignored calls to explain why Loddon Shire has been ignored in stakeholder engagement on a transmission line project social licence document.
Silence from the Canberra-based regulator comes as Australian Energy Market Operator confirmed it had been “working closely” with AER.
AEMO is driving the controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line project that will run through prime irrigation land across the northern end of the Loddon Shire.
VNI West project director Sam Magee said: “AEMO has been working closely with the AER and the Australian Energy Market Commission through the Transmission Planning and Investment Review, the recommendations from which have led to the social licence for electricity transmission directions paper.
“This review is considering the guidelines the AER provides to transmission network service providers in relation to regulatory investment test for transmission, including obligations in relation to social licence.”
AER last month said: “We are aware that communities have been asked to engage in a number of processes and recognise providing a submission may not be possible at this time. We are open to organising direct meetings with interested individuals to discuss the paper and receive feedback in that forum.”
However, Loddon Shire was not informed of the directions paper.
Mr Magee told the Loddon Herald last week: “Developing new transmission lines to deliver low-cost renewable energy is challenging and in Victoria we haven’t had a need to build new transmission of this scale in decades.
“However, as the coal generators in the Latrobe Valley are rapidly approaching retirement, we need new sources of energy including from northern and western Victoria and VNI West will carry that new generation into the electricity grid to keep the lights on across Victoria.”
“Transmission Company Victoria is committed to talking with and listening to VNI West stakeholders, including landholders, neighbours, communities and traditional owners.
TCV is AEMO’s company formed to deliver VNI West with transmission towers up to 80 metres high running through an estimated 540 properties between Stawell and Kerang. But the company is still to speak with all landowners in the VNI West corridor released early last month.
“We have had conversations with approximately two thirds of private property landowners in the draft corridor,” said Mr Magee,
“The land team continues to try and make contact directly with those landholders who have only received a letter or information pack delivery, and we encourage anyone who is aware their property is in the draft corridor to give us a call.”
He also responded to renewed criticism from volunteer firemen that the project would hamper firefighting.
“Fires have been fought and managed around transmission lines for decades and the CFA has developed well established practices to keep its firefighting crews and communities safe,” he said.
“As part of the environmental and planning approvals process a detailed fire risk assessment must be conducted by an independent expert, this will require consultation and input from fire authorities including the CFA.
“This will advance the analysis we undertook in our preliminary bushfire risk assessment which has already been carried out, and fed into the development of the draft corridor.”
Mr Magee said aerial surveys this month would collect light detection and range data and imaging to build a three-dimensional map of the draft corridor.
“These surveys are a routine part of the work that is undertaken for major infrastructure projects and the data collected will be used alongside information from field surveys.”