Australia, Reducing Coal, Finalizes Five Areas for Transmission Network Investment to Expand Renewable Energy

The Victorian government has officially designated five areas for onshore renewable energy and offshore wind-connected zones along the Gippsland coast. VicGrid, the state's transmission planning body, stated the designation followed consultations and strategic land-use assessments since the 2025 transmission plan. The five areas include South West, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Western, and North West. Gippsland will operate separately as a subsea cable corridor linking offshore wind farms to the main grid. This move aims to manage both renewable energy development and transmission investments post-coal plant closures. Victoria targets 65% renewable energy by 2030 and 95% by 2035. VicGrid plans to establish connection rules and grid capacity limits for each area over 12-24 months, with competitive allocation for projects requiring separate approval processes. Concerns remain about the pace of infrastructure development, as unresolved issues like connection capacity allocation, grid costs, and local benefit fund management could lead to future disputes.