Spanish energy giant wins contract to build the other contentious Victoria transmission line

Spanish energy giant Acciona has landed yet another major transmission project in Australia, after being awarded the contract to build the Western Renewables Link (WRL).

Acciona will build the 190 km link to Victoria’s western renewable energy zones in a joint venture with Genus. The proposed 500 kV transmission line will connect new projects around Bulgana in western Victoria to Sydenham in Melbourne’s north-west.

Ausnet is leading the project and the network operator’s general manager Gerard Carew called the contract “a big step forward” and based on a range of elements such as a proven track record of finishing big projects.

“[It is] enabling the WRL team to continue important preparation work so that construction can move ahead if the project receives the necessary planning approvals,” he said in a statement.

Acciona is also leading a consortium pursuing the New England REZ transmission operator contract, and it’s building out a portion of the upgrades required in the Hunter REZ as well.

In a statement, the joint venture’s Tristan Walters highlighted one element of the build that may be the most difficult of this project: its acceptance by the people living along the route. 

“Our team is committed to delivering this project safely and with respect to all communities,” he said. 

Early works are now not due to begin until late 2026, provided the planning process does not create further delays.  

The WRL is one of the two extremely contentious transmission projects in Victoria, the other being VNI West which will link up with the WRL at the Bulgana substation and connect to the Project EnergyConnect interconnector between South Australia and New South Wales.

Some landowners, furious over fines if they prevent access to their properties for surveys and construction, have not been mollified by significantly more generous payments of up to $40,000 for hosts and neighbours. 

In November, farmers on the VNI West route blocked access to VicGrid employees trying to access their land.

Some of these worries are being ventilated in the hearing process for the environmental effects statement, which runs from October to March.

The transmission links have been controversial and farmers have previously complained that communication has been poor and that their concerns had been ignored.

Not all transmission projects are as large and contentious as the WRL and VNI West.

This week Ausnet finished the Mortlake Turn-In, a project that connected a second 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line to the local terminal station.

Two 500 kV lines run past the substation, north of Warrnambool, but until now only one actually connected into it.

VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker said the project will improve network stability, boost generation capacity by up to 1.5 gigawatts, and creates a corridor for exporting renewable energy from Victoria’s south west.

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