AEMO swamped: more than 500 VNI West submissions roll in

AEMO has given itself less than four weeks to analyse more than 500 submissions to its VNI West proposal and deliver a report on a narrowed route.

The prospect of 60-80m towers, carrying 500kV transmission lines, carving up properties has prompted protests, amid fear of land devaluations and restrictions on farming. Picture: Zoe Phillips

The Australian Energy Market Operator, overseeing planning of the Victoria-NSW West transmission line, aims to narrow its “area of interest” to a 10km to 40km-wide corridor by early next month, before sitting down with affected landholders and surveying properties in spring.

An AMEO spokesman said landholders would be allocated a dedicated liaison officer, who would work with them to understand constraints and compensation.

AEMO and its contractors will also have to adhere to the Victorian Essential Services

Commission’s Code of Practice for land access, which is soon to be released, including respecting biosecurity requirements.

In the meantime AEMO staff are wading through more than 500 submissions from the community on its preferred option five route from Bulgana to Echuca and then to the Riverina energy hub at Dinawan.

AEMO briefing documents state the Project Assessment Conclusions Report will be released in early May, which opponents of the project say is too short a time frame, given the deadline on submissions was April 19.

Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance advocate Vicki Johnson said: “You’d have to question how AEMO can analyse that many submissions and have them contribute anything meaningful to its PACR (report).”

The Victorian Farmers Federation has also raised concerns about releasing the PACR in May, in the midst of the sowing winter crops.

The Weekly Times has confirmed CFA headquarters has also banned brigades from lodging submissions, with a spokesman saying “our brigades make up members of the community and we accept they may have differing views on a range of issues which may not necessarily reflect the organisation’s view”.

Meanwhile documents outlining AEMO’s briefings state the submissions it has received range from those opposed to the option five route, to those that support it and others who want the route varied.

Other issues raised in submissions include burying the transmission line, farm impacts and a raft of costing and viability concerns raised by electrical engineer and former chair of transmission at the University of Queensland, Professor Simon Bartlett and Victoria Energy Policy Centre director Bruce Mountain.

Community groups have requested AEMO supply a summary of how many submissions supported and opposed the project, once it had completed its analysis.

The Weekly Times understands some councils have lodged confidential submissions, but all others will be lodged on the VNI West website.