Experts have slammed some major Victorina power plans. 

Australian energy experts have warned that building large transmission projects in western Victoria, as part of plans to update the national power grid, would be a “monumental mistake.” 

Simon Bartlett, the chief operating officer of Powerlink, and Bruce Mountain, director of the Victoria Energy Policy Centre, based their warning on findings from the latest Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Consultation Report. 

They caution that going ahead with the Western Renewables Link (WRL) and the Victoria-to-New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) would result in an increased risk of blackouts and bushfires, higher power bills in Victoria, and “needless damage” to communities along the transmission corridor. 

Mountain suggested using existing infrastructure in Gippsland instead. 

Meanwhile, AEMO argues that the western Victorian transmission plan would “help share low-cost, diverse electricity from multiple renewable energy zones with consumers across several states.”

More details are accessible here.