Mildura Mayor Liam Wood has hailed today's announcement of a fully-funded VNI-West KerangLink as a game-changer for large-scale solar generation in our region, unlocking 4,000 MW of new power generation and creating more than 3,200 jobs in northern Victoria.
It will also generate more than $1.8 billion in net market benefits, including for electricity users.
Cr Wood said the Sunraysia region was poised to capitalise on a significant share of these benefits given the municipality's reputation and suitability for large-scale solar projects.
There are currently 11 development approvals for solar projects in our municipality, seven of which are large-scale projects, collectively worth more than $1.5 billion dollars.
Cr Wood said today's breakthrough announcement showed the value of strong advocacy at State and Federal Government level as part of the Murray River Group of Councils.
"This project was one of the key Federal Election priorities submitted by the Murray River Group of Councils, which Mildura Rural City Council is an integral member of," he said.
"This major announcement illustrates the power of standing up and ensuring our voice is heard at the highest levels of government. It's really something to be celebrated.
"This is a landmark announcement for our region and for communities across northern Victoria, as it will finally provide the certainty that's been so desperately needed around transmission capacity."
The Mayor said the VNI-West KerangLink is a crucial piece of infrastructure for Mildura and other members of the Murray River Group of Councils.
It will upgrade transmission lines, allowing renewable energy generated in regions including Mildura to be delivered across south eastern Australia, generating 2,000 direct jobs during construction alone.
"This will allow our region to unlock the potential of the numerous large-scale solar projects that are either complete, under construction or in the pipeline, while encouraging new developments for many years to come," Cr Wood said.
"This promises to have a transformative impact on our region's economy, ushering in a new wave of solar projects and the resulting dramatic jobs growth that will stoke the fires of our already growing local economy.
"We look forward to being provided with more specific details about this project in the near future, and many more linked to the renewable energy boom that the Federal Government has committed do. "
