Coalition vows to scrap VNI West transmission project in Victoria

Victorian Coalition promises to scrap VNI West transmission project In short: The Victorian Liberal and National parties will scrap the controversial VNI West transmission project if the Coalition wins the state election in November. The Coalition says it will unlock gas reserves, extend coal to the end of its life and build urban solar parks instead. What's next? Farmers have welcomed the move, but the government and green energy groups have labelled the promise "reckless". The Victorian Coalition has promised to scrap Labor's controversial VNI West transmission project, 100 days out from the state election in November. The Liberal and National parties previously committed to pausing and reviewing VNI West after strong opposition from farmers in its path. Nationals deputy leader Emma Kealy said the Coalition's decision to dump the project made it clear where the parties stand. "As far as the Nationals and Liberals are concerned, VNI West is dead, buried and cremated,"she said. "We've gone back and had a look at all of the data that surrounds VNI West and it's really clear that the project isn't going to ever stack up." The proposed transmission line connecting Victoria to the New South Wales grid is estimated to cost between $7.6 billion and $11.4 billion. It is part of Labor's plan to support renewable energy generation and maintain power reliability. There is strong and widespread opposition in Victoria's west, particularly among farmers whose land is along the planned route. The Coalition said it would explore alternative options to keep power generation and prices sustainable. "We're looking at unlocking our gas reserves, we're looking at extending coal to its technical end of life," Ms Kealy said. "[We will] make sure we're looking at those renewable projects like the solar parks in Melbourne and other metropolitan areas … [to] capture the energy near to where it's going to be consumed." In a statement, Energy and Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes said the Coalition's pledge to scrap the project was irresponsible. "Jess Wilson's One Nation-Coalition's reckless decision will destroy electricity reliability across Victoria, guaranteeing blackouts and pushing up power bills," she said. "Only Labor will build the critical renewable energy infrastructure, including VNI West, needed to deliver cheap power and keep the lights on as our aging coal-fired generators retire." Ms Symes also questioned whether the Coalition would reintroduce fracking. "There is no restriction on bringing online new gas supply through conventional means in Victoria," Ms Symes said. "Is Jess Wilson promising to overturn the ban on fracking in Victoria?" The Victorian Farmers Federation has welcomed the Coalition's commitment. "VNI West has long been a failed project that is tearing apart generational farming families and would rip up some of the best farmland in the country," president Ryan Milgate said. "You cannot put a dollar figure on the loss of irreplaceable, highly productive farming land or the damage caused when you carve a massive transmission project through established farming operations." While farmers are cheering the Coalition's move, renewable energy and environment groups have slammed it. Clean Energy Council chief executive Jackie Trad said VNI West was critical to energy security and the replacement of aging coal. "Cancelling VNI West does not make that closure [of Yallourn] go away. It just decreases the amount of electricity Victorians have access to, inevitably pushing up prices and electricity bills," she said. "The Coalition says gas will fill the gap, but Victorians deserve to know where that gas is actually going to come from." Environment Victoria's climate campaign manager Joy Toose said the Coalition's plan would expose Victorians to higher power prices and less reliable electricity. "Renewables and the transmission that carries them are the only thing actually bringing bills down," she said. "Cancelling that to burn more gas is a plan for higher bills and blackouts, dressed up as the opposite." The Coalition has also committed to reviewing and potentially scrapping the Western Renewables Link project, which is further along in the planning process than VNI West.