Victoria's Renewable Energy Future

Victoria’s Renewable Energy Future Threatened by Cheap, Outdated & Dangerous Technology

In 2019 the Victorian Government announced the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP), which aims to deliver green energy by connecting large scale wind and solar farms in West Victoria to homes across the state.

The proposed line will start in Bulgana in Victoria’s west and connect to Sydenham, via a new terminal station to the north of Ballarat.

To favour energy providers, shareholders and a quick win for the Government, the Australian Energy Market Operator and AusNet proposed outdated technology via the fastest and cheapest route.

This means 80 meter tall transmission lines will run 190 kilometers through some of Victoria’s most beautiful tourist destinations and pristine natural bushland, impacting culture and heritage, local tourism, regional businesses, and prime agriculture.

An enormous power substation the size of twelve MCG’s will sit just ten minutes from Daylesford.

If this project goes ahead, it will set a horrible precedent for governments to use cheap, unreliable, outdated and dangerous technology right across Victoria.

We deserve better renewable energy solutions, now and for future generations, not cheap options that favour quick political wins and corporate profit.

We are extremely proud to live in a region that is supplying the renewable energy to power Victoria, but will not support a project that claims to “deliver on unlocking renewable energy across Victoria”, when it clearly cancels out any environmental, economic, or renewable energy benefit.

Tell the Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to take this project back to the drawing board and put the transmission lines underground.

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Without community support, we cannot take this fight all the way and have our day in court.

View the MHCPA rules here

Legal Challenge

We know the project is fundamentally flawed and allegedly unlawful, so we are building a legal case against AEMO and AusNet.

To help us take the fight to court you can donate now below via GoFundMe.

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Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance
BSB 633 000
ACC 175 892 850

Open Letter To: Victoria’s Energy Minister, Lily D’Ambrosio

Dear Minister,

On behalf of the people of Victoria, we urge you to send the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP) back to the drawing board.

We call on you to envision a renewable energy future that is founded on innovative, reliable and scalable technology, because we do not want to see our energy future disabled with outdated and dangerous technology like the WVTNP.

The proposed WVTNP will desecrate local tourism, wildlife habitats, our world class food bowl, local agriculture, culture and heritage and our regional businesses and communities.

Energy Minister, Lily D’Ambrosio

This is a grossly inadequate project, lacking any social licence. It was given the green light despite a biased cost benefit analysis that favoured quick political wins and corporate profit over an extraordinarily high environmental and economic cost.

Underground energy transmission is best practice around the world and Australian scientific studies support this.

Underground energy transmission is more reliable, safe and efficient and will not be impacted by extreme weather, or increase the risk of catastrophic bushfire.

In the end, taxpayers always foot the bill for failed Government projects that favour politics over people, and this project is inevitably going to cost us more than it is worth.

Just last year, AusNet passed on a $24 million dollar repair bill to Victorian energy consumers, to repair a transmission line in Cressy that crashed to the ground as a result of extreme weather conditions.

We want renewable energy solutions that benefit all Victorians, not foreign owned corporations like AusNet, who were responsible for the Black Saturday bushfires and continue to mismanage projects like the WVTNP.

The National Electricity (Victoria) Act, gives you the power to override the project contract and send it back to the drawing board.

As Energy Minister, we urge you to ensure our renewable energy future is safe, reliable and sustainable, because all Victorians for generations to come, will be relying on the renewable energy systems you build today.

Yours Sincerely,

Stop AusNet’s Towers, Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance, Moorabool Environment Group, Bacchus Marsh Platypus Alliance, Pentland Hills Landcare Group, Wattle Flat Landcare Group, Kingston & District Power Alliance, South Moorabool Action Group, Clarkes Hill and District Power Alliance, Friends of Hopetoun Park & Parwan Gorge, Plumpton Community Alliance, Comaidai Community Group, Darley Power Fight, Melton Stop AusNet’s Towers, Rowsley Community Group, WVTNP Waubra to Bulgana Powerline Action, Beckworth to Blowhard and Districts Power Alliance

The WVTNP Corridor

View AusNet’s propsed transmission line corridor, which takes the most direct and cheapest route through pristine bushland, natural wildlife habitats, toursim destinations and sites of cultural significance.

The route will also threaten Victoria’s world class potato growing industry, which will see us lose 1,250 jobs and $250 million in annual economic activity.

View the transmission corridor here.