RE-Alliance welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Draft 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan (VTP) developed by VicGrid. Ensuring there is transmission capacity available for renewable generation and storage to connect into is one of the biggest bottlenecks for the shift to renewables in Victoria.
Developing a plan, providing opportunities for communities to participate in its refinement and in associated reforms on renewable energy zones and benefit sharing are all welcome steps. We recognise the substantial work to date and the state’s willingness to listen and respond to stakeholders.
Our comments on the draft plan reflect our expectations that the Victorian Government maintains strong ambition for climate action, encourages and rewards best practice community engagement by renewable energy developers and sets out a confident and robust plan to achieve a renewable powered energy system.
Victoria stands at a turning point. With coal closures accelerating and delays in transmission mounting, the Victorian Transmission Plan must do more than plan infrastructure — it must build public trust, regional capacity and momentum behind a shared story of change.
Headline recommendations
- The Victorian Government clearly directs VicGrid to invest in communities to better equip them for the clean energy transition.
- VicGrid plays the leading role in providing clear, public communications outlining the pathway to our future renewables grid that includes the vital role of transmission.
- The Victorian Government supports - directly through resourcing and through the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council - Local Energy Hubs to be established in key Victorian regions.
- That the Victorian Transmission Plan includes more ambition and flexibility for the role of near term renewables projects in the pipeline to prepare for coal unreliability and closure.