A damning new report has laid bare the cost blowout and waste of the Western Victoria energy transmission project, threatening prime Mallee farmland, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says.

The Victoria Energy Policy Centre’s (VEPC) ‘No Longer Lost In Transmission’ report highlights the Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) costs are understated by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and already reliant on outdated data.

The report lays out a ‘Plan B’ which would deliver transmission goals at a lower cost and with less disruption to farmland, communities and the environment.

“The report costs AEMO’s extended Option 5A plan at $11 billion inclusive of interest during the construction phase alone,” Dr Webster said.

“This cost will be passed on to consumers, and it will continue with the annual operating costs. The extended VNI-West could raise annual electricity bills by $940 million more than Plan B by 2036 – which is a huge impost on Victorian families.

“This is without accounting for the damage and disruption to farming and their communities along the project’s path since the Victorian Government first altered the route in February.

“I have stood with farmers at protests in St Arnaud, Horsham and townhall meetings at Charlton , and hosted a delegation of farmers in Canberra. I also encouraged Australia’s Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Andrew Dyer to attend a community meeting in St Arnaud this week to hear the concerns of the community.”

Dr Webster said the report highlight’s AEMO’s failure to conduct proper analysis in their planning of the project.

“That is almost as great as their failure to consult in any meaningful way with the farmers whose livelihoods are to be affected by these poles and wires across their land,” Dr Webster said.

“AEMO and the Victorian Labor Government are being spurred on by the Albanese Labor Government’s Rewiring The Nation Plan – which is happy to risk the productivity of our farmers to meet their ideological goals.

“Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen claims getting more renewables into the system is the best way to see the cheapest energy prices – but this report is highlighting how energy bills will skyrocket in order to pay for this infrastructure.”

Dr Webster and Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud will attend a further protest with me at Victoria’s Parliament House on August 15, as we continue to stand with the farmers of Mallee.

“The VEPC highlights what has gone wrong with AEMO and its processes, now we need to make Labor Governments realise the impact it has on our farmers,” Dr Webster said.

Background

The ‘No Longer Lost In Transmission’ report was written by VEPC Director Professor Bruce Mountain, retired independent electricity expert Simon Bartlett AM, and Energy Grid Alliance Director Darren Edwards.

It outlines their design to sufficiently deliver Victoria’s Renewable Energy Target of 65% of the state’s electricity generation to be supplied by renewable sources in Victoria by 2030, and 95% by 2035 in a more cost effective and efficient manner.