Victorian government moves to reinstate State Electricity Commission if elected

An ambitious $42m plan focused on renewables could soon give countless Australians relief on their electricity bills.

Victorians’ energy bills could be slashed considerably under an ambitious election promise put forward by the state government.

Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Thursday morning detailing how a revived State Electricity Commission (SEC) would work.

He said the plan would result in cheaper renewable electricity aimed at driving bills down while supporting 59,000 jobs across the state.

If elected, the party would spend $42m installing 100 neighbourhood batteries across Victoria.

Victorians’ electricity bills could be slashed under an ambitious election promise.

This would triple the number of homes with access to a battery, providing extra storage energy capacity for local communities.

In total, 25,000 more homes would be given access to local renewable energy.

Mr Andrews said the aim of the batteries’ installation was to convert solar power into cheap costs for households.

“Victoria is the battery capital of Australia with a world-leading storage target. Now we’re building 100 neighbourhood batteries across the state to make sure all families can share the savings from our solar boom,” Mr Andrews said.

“Victorians know the Liberals should never have sold off our energy supply. Labor will give it back to local communities – with a power station on your roof and a secure energy supply at the end of your street.”

Initially, batteries would be installed in 28 communities across the state – 15 in metropolitan Melbourne and 13 in regional Victoria.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio made the announcement in Bayswater. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The location for the remaining 72 batteries would be decided by community organisations, local governments and distribution companies.

These will add to the batteries already installed at Fitzroy North and Yackandandah and those being built in Tarneit and Phillip Island.

Cheaper bills will result from storing clean, cheap energy during the day that will feed back into the grid at night.

The move comes weeks after the government announced Victoria’s energy network was set to undergo a mammoth transformation that would result in a 95 per cent reliance on renewables by 2035.

The election promise includes a new 2030 renewables goal of 65 per cent, and a state zero emissions target will be brought forward to 2045 under the plan.