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Safety concerns halt wind farm talks in northern Wimmera
Credit: By Chris McLennan - November 25, 2024 - stockandland.com.au ~~
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Residents on the border of the Wimmera and Mallee were surprised last week to learn ACEN Australia was planning to build a “large-scale” wind farm between Donald, Birchip and Wycheproof.
But unstated safety concerns have led to the cancellation of meetings this week intended to inform northern Wimmera residents of the plans. Meetings planned for Wycheproof today (Tuesday) and Donald tomorrow (Wednesday) as well as Birchip on December 3 have been postponed.
ACEN Australia said the planned community information sessions “have had to be postponed due to safety concerns”.
Those safety concerns are believed to be a response to the upset the proposal has caused to local communities. ACEN Australia is still to release any detail on its proposed Corack East Wind farm it says will be located on privately owned land between Donald, Birchip and Wycheproof.
The region already has a wind farm proposed, the Wilkur Energy Park, to be located on about 10,554ha of cropping farm land 11km south-west of Birchip. Acciona Energy has proposed the Berrimal Wind Farm, 19km south of Charlton with up to 24 turbines. WestWind Energy's planned Birchip wind farm would include up to 97 turbines and has been submitted for state and federal government approval with “a planning decision expected in 2027”.
After releasing plans for its Corack East Wind Farm (about 45km from the proposed Wilkur Energy Park) just a week ago, ACEN Australia called the three community meetings to inform residents of its plans. “Until alternative sessions can be arranged, please contact the project team directly with any questions or to arrange a meeting to discuss the project,” the energy company now says.
Community social media groups have been galvanised by the latest wind farm proposal on broadacre land. “Attend all the meetings and tell them access will be denied. Lock your gates,” one social media post read at Wycheproof.
Other energy projects have met with fierce resistance across rural Victoria. Planned meetings to discuss the controversial VNI West power lines were thrown into turmoil at St Arnaud and Kerang because of the same “safety concerns” earlier in the year. Representatives from Transmission Company Victoria and the Australian Energy Market Operator withdrew the day before the long-planned meetings objecting to the format proposed.
Meetings have been blockaded by tractors, trucks and community protest groups who object to their proposals, often leading police to attend. TCV, charged with planning VNI West which extends 240km across western and northern Victoria, have recently released an online survey asking the community what it thinks about its project. Angry objectors say after years of protests with support building across rural Victoria against the transmission lines, the question had been repeatedly answered.
The proposed Corack East Wind farm is also linked to VNI West. ACN Australia says its new wind farm project is in its early developmental stages. “ACEN Australia is investigating opportunities to connect Corack East Wind to the proposed VNI West interconnector being developed by Transmission Company Victoria,” the company said. “Pending project approval, construction is proposed to begin in 2029, to align with delivery of VNI West.”
RES Australia has already unveiled plans to build a large wind farm deeper into the Mallee at Cannie, about 25km west of Kerang. “The project will commence construction mid to late 2027, pending planning approval and the construction of the Victoria – NSW Interconnector West (VNI West) transmission project.”.
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