Preferred route for VNI West project unveiled
Transgrid has released details of its preferred route for the northern portion of the VNI West interconnector that will connect the New South Wales and Victoria grids.
Image for illustration purposes.
Australia, NSW: Transgrid has released details of its preferred route for the northern portion of the VNI West interconnector that will connect the New South Wales and Victoria grids.
Transgrid is calling for community feedback after unveiling its preferred route for the VNI West interconnector, a 500 kV double circuit transmission line connecting the high-voltage grids in NSW and Victoria. Transgrid is responsible for the NSW component of the $3.6 billion (US$2.16 billion) 800 km project, while the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) are responsible for the Victorian. The route would stretch west from the Dinawan substation in the Murray River region, turn south around Moulamein, and reach Murrabit on the NSW/Victoria border, from where it will continue south to Bulgana.
“Route C” is one of four short-listed routes detailed in the draft route report. It is the northernmost option, caters to local constraints identified by stakeholders and the community and will have the lowest impact on irrigated agricultural lands. It has a comparable length to the other options and allows for the straightest alignment compared to the other options, reducing costs. Feedback is sought by 4 March 2024, and the final route will be confirmed in late March, signalling the start of studies to assess environmental and social impacts.
Planning continues on the Victorian stretch, with TCV having published a report in October showing the draft corridor for the Victorian component of the project. TCV has narrowed the area of interest for the proposed transmission line to width of 2 kilometres. It will be narrowed through ongoing consultation over the next two years, to an easement of about 70 to 120 metres. The project is expected to be implemented by 2028.
Source: PV Magazine Australia
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