Victoria has identified a preferred transmission route to connect the state’s first offshore wind projects off the Gippsland coast to the electricity grid.
The approximately 60-kilometre route will run between the Loy Yang Power Station switchyard and a proposed new terminal station at Giffard. The corridor is around 200 metres wide and is planned to accommodate shared transmission infrastructure for the offshore wind projects.
The route identification follows the launch of Australia’s first offshore wind auction in August, which is expected to deliver the first 2 GW of offshore wind capacity in Victoria. The capacity is estimated to be sufficient to supply around 1.5 million homes.
VicGrid, the Victorian government agency responsible for planning the transmission infrastructure, has been working with landholders, communities and other stakeholders since 2023 to refine the route. Environmental, cultural heritage and technical studies have also been carried out.
VicGrid is now meeting with landholders within the preferred route to discuss indicative tower locations, potential construction activities and the proposed transmission easement. The information will be used to develop the project’s reference design.
The reference design will be assessed through an Environment Effects Statement (EES). The design is expected to be exhibited for public comment in early 2027, when the community will be able to make submissions.
The final locations of transmission towers and easements will remain subject to further technical work and consultation.
Community consultation sessions on the transmission project are scheduled to take place in October in Willung, Giffard West and Rosedale, as well as online.
The first offshore wind auction is expected to attract AUD 3.1 billion (around EUR 1.9 billion) in investment to Gippsland, while Victoria’s offshore wind sector as a whole is expected to drive more than AUD 20 billion (around EUR 12.3 billion) in investment, according to the state government.