Moorabool Shire Council is currently in caretaker mode due to upcoming Council elections.
Published on 19 September 2024
Moorabool Shire Council welcomes the recent announcement of a Parliamentary Inquiry into the expansion of transmission lines across Victoria.
Council understands the Inquiry will examine the transmission expansion as proposed by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), VicGrid and the Transmission Company Victoria (TCV), as well as the expansion of Victorian transmission connections associated with VicGrid’s proposed “renewable energy zones”.
The Inquiry will report by 19 December 2025 and its findings will be of particular interest to Council, with Moorabool Shire proposed to accommodate 60km of the 190km high-voltage transmission line, Western Renewables Link (WRL).
Terms of reference for the Inquiry will cover a range of issues, including improvement of planning rules and processes, as well as investigating the feasibility of undergrounding, with reference to national and international experience.
Council is supportive of the review, particularly as it will help ensure a greater community voice is heard and acted upon.
“It shouldn’t be too late for the Inquiry findings to be applied in the implementation of WRL and VicGrid’s proposed renewable energy zones,” Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Ally Munari said.
To find out more about Council’s response to the Western Renewables Link, visit moorabool.vic.gov.au/transmissionlines