Remaining Victorian priority towns to get connected to gas
UPDATE: PIPED natural gas will be supplied to remaining “priority” towns across regional Victoria.
UPDATE: PIPED natural gas will be supplied to remaining “priority” towns across regional Victoria.
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan today announced Brookfield Infrastructure Group as the successful tenderer to connect natural gas to Heathcote, Invermay, Lakes Entrance, Maldon, Marong, Orbost, Terang, Swan Hill, Kerang, Robinvale and Nathalia.
It is an extra four towns on the 14 the Government originally promised it would connect in its 2010 election campaign.
Mr Ryan said the government had “honoured our promise and more”.
“We are now delivering gas to all 14 priority towns announced as part of the Energy for The Regions Program, as well as a further four communities along the Murray River,” he said.
“Many doubted our commitment to connect regional communities to gas, led by the Labor Party and their fear mongering regional spokesman Jacinta Allan.”
Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh said Brookfield’s proposal involved an unusual approach.
“Brookfield’s proposal will involve initial supply of CNG from its Derrimut facility and the creation of further Mother Stations to compress the gas before it is trucked to Daughter Stations, to be located on the outskirts of town, in each of the 11 communities.
“From the Daughter Stations the gas will be reticulated via pipes to homes at a price comparable to gas supplied through conventional pipelines connected to the grid.”
The contracts have been signed, so the project will go ahead regardless of the election result.
Work will begin by the end of the year.
Agreements to deliver conventional piped natural gas to Huntly, Avoca, Bannockburn, Winchelsea, Koo Wee Rup, Warburton and Wandong-Heathcote Junction have already been announced.
Labor’s regional spokeswoman Jacinta Allan has previously described the promise to connect 14 towns to natural gas as a “monstrous hoax”.
Shadow spokeswoman for rural and regional development Jacinta Allan described it as “an 11th hour announcement” from Mr Ryan.
“Peter Ryan’s natural gas roll out has been botched with timeline and cost blowouts,” Ms Allan said.
“You can forgive the Victorian community for being sceptical about this 11th hour announcement from Peter Ryan given his farcical handling of his flagship program.”
“Four years after cast iron promises were given to his hand-picked towns, only one has gas’”
READ MORE: ‘Priority towns’ cooking with gas
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