Major changes proposed for Victoria’s transmission projects would kill off projects and see capital flee to other states, wind industry figures have warned.
The caution comes as Victoria shadow energy minister David Davis reiterated, at a wind energy conference on Tuesday, that the Liberal Party plans to “pause” and “swiftly examine” the VNI West and Western Renewable Link transmission projects if it wins government in November.
But the very act of pausing transmission projects – already years into planning processes and after major legislative changes already completed to make them possible – will cause a flight of capital from Victoria, says longstanding wind industry executive Peter Cowling.
Pausing transmission will stop all energy projects in Victoria – including offshore wind which the Liberals purportedly support — Cowling told the Australian Wind Industry Forum today.
“I would just re-emphasise the point that transmission inventory is everything,” he said.
