Victoria orders independent cost assessment of Western Renewables Link
In the Australian state of Victoria, Premier Ben Carroll ordered an immediate independent assessment of the cost of the Western Renewables Link (WRL) power transmission line project, whose latest estimate stands at $1.5 billion. This happened on the same day that Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny approved the project’s environmental effects statement (EES), ABC News Australia reports.
According to Carroll, the review is intended to help reduce construction costs and provide Victorian consumers with updated and transparent estimates. No compulsory acquisition of property for the project will take place while the assessment is underway.
Additional approvals required
The WRL involves the construction of a 190-kilometre line between Bulgana, near Ararat in the west of the state, and Sydenham in northwestern Melbourne. It is intended to connect renewable energy projects in western Victoria to the electricity grid.
In her EES assessment, Kilkenny stated that the project is likely to have significant environmental impacts, including on the visual character of the area and landscape values. At the same time, she acknowledged that the potential community benefits allow the project to proceed and that its environmental impacts can be managed.
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Carroll stressed that EES approval is not a final permit. The WRL still requires approvals from state and federal authorities, as well as parliamentary approval. AusNet, which is responsible for the project, said that possible subsequent permits include approvals to remove protected flora, relocate wildlife, and carry out works in or over water bodies.
Criticism and company estimates
Shadow Energy Minister David Davis criticised the EES approval issued two and a half months before the state election. He said the government should not make decisions that could bind future governments. The Coalition pledged to pause and review the future of the WRL if it wins the election, while One Nation said it intends to cancel the project.
Local landowners and the Victorian Farmers Federation opposed the line, citing its impact on agricultural land and communities. AusNet said the WRL is needed for Victoria’s transition away from coal-fired power stations. According to the company’s estimate, the 500-kilovolt lines will be able to transmit more than 3,000 megawatts of electricity and supply about 1 million homes.
AusNet also forecasts the creation of about 700 full-time jobs during construction and another 1,100 jobs as a result of building the line. The company’s latest estimate envisages the project being completed by 2029. The current cost of the WRL is more than three times the initial 2019 estimate.
