Confirmed option days away

AUSTRALIAN Energy Market Operator is expected to release its confirmed VNI West inconnector route within days.

Victorian planner manager Nicola Falcon told last Friday’s Loddon Herald forum in Wedderburn that release of the confirmed route would be quickly narrowed down to a corridor “so we can start talking to landholders”.

“We need to narrow it down quickly because the questions that you want answered around farming practices and what you can do under your lines and around your easements,” she told more than 60 people in Loddon Shire chambers and many more watching online.

Ms Falcon said talks with landowners would start in June. “We want to provide clarity to you as quickly as possible.”

However, a national draft transmission expansion options report released by AEMO last week only includes its preferred option five through the Loddon Shire and not other options in its VNI West report released in February.

Ms Falcon and executive general manager systems design Merryn York were also questioned why recent consultation had not been conducted on other options in that report.

Murray Plains MP and Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh later said it was to AEMO’s credit that it sent representatives to the Loddon forum.

“But despite that, everyone still left the meeting/screens feeling frustrated about how the process of consultation on Option 5 has been handled – and what is going to happen in the future,” he said. Questions from Victorian Farmers’ Federation Wedderburn branch president Graham Nesbit on what AEMO defined as western Victoria where there could be benefits for community and landholders went unanswered.

Mr Nesbit also questioned why AEMO had used old technology for its planned interconnector, backing a report co-au- thored by Professor Bruce Mountain that said AEMOI’s cost analysis was flawed.

Professor Mountain told Friday’s forum that the cost of solar energy was one tenth of that a decade ago and wind power a third cheaper.

“The benefits (claimed by AEMO) do not pass muster,” he said. Professor Mountain said battery storages could be built in Victoria without the need for an interconnector linking Victoria and New South Wales.

Professor Mountain said he would be publishing an alternative plan once AEMO released its final report on the VNI West route.

Energy Grid Alliance director Darren Edwards told the forum of his experience with Western Renewables Link that had seen people affected by the project kept out of the loop until decisions were made.

He said that project failed to have best practice planning and community engagement.

Mr Edwards said there needed to be change in renewable transition project processes to consider impacts on community and not just market and consumer benefits.

“That needs to change before any form of social licence could be acquired,” he said.

Farmer Kathryn Myers said that AEMO had to take on board feedback from landowners and not just draw lines on maps.

Haylett joins push for greater detail on AEMO proposals

WITHOUT detail, AEMO’s limited consultation opportunities would not yield helpful information, Ripon MP Martha Haylett has told AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman.

Ms Haylett has sent the Loddon Herald a copy of her letter to Mr Westerman saying “there has been an insufficient level of detail provided to the community about the project, including information about timing, designs, proximity to homes, property access rights, land values, biosecurity and permitted farming practices”. The local MP, who did not attend last Friday’s forum due to prior diary bookings with ministers, also told Mr Westerman AEMO’s plans for VNI West had no detail or understanding as to how this project benefits the communities that bear the brunt of it, including any information about community benefit schemes.

“I am concerned that the project is on a path to losing social license like similar en- ergy infrastructure projects in my region.

“The VNI West Project will be one of the biggest rural energy infrastructure projects built in the last century. It must be done properly – with genuine consultation and timely answers provided to those whose livelihoods it will impact most.”

A copy of Ms Haylett’s letter was sent to Energy Minister Lily d’Ambrosio who declined the invitation to speak in Wedderburn last Friday.