“Stick to the facts, stick to the plan:” Energy minister urges industry to ignore nuclear “fantasy”

Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio has warned industry and investors to remain focused on the transition to a grid powered by solar and wind and avoid being distracted by the Coalition’s nuclear “fantasy,” as the state races to reach its renewables targets of 65% by 2030, and then 95% by 2035.

Speaking at a renewable energy industry forum hosted by VicGrid in Melbourne on Monday, D’Ambrosio said the state still needed to produce significant energy infrastructure to support the transition away from fossil fuels and secure Victoria’s energy future.

“It seems that certainly there is never a dull moment when it comes to energy – every day has got some new development or new proposal and we deal with all of those as we go,” the minister told to the forum.

“But what’s really critical is that we are also very clear about the road that we are on and not being detracted from that road.

“We are very proud as the Victorian government to have set a very clear transition away from using fossil fuels … and certainly moving away from coal fired power to renewables and we need, of course, the industry to buy in to this transition. We need that to be successful.”

VicGrid was established by the state Labor government in 2021 to coordinate the planning and development of the state’s new renewable energy zones (REZs), but has since been given the added task of taking over transmission planning from the Australian Energy Market Operator, in a move designed to allay community concerns and clear the path for its ambitious renewables targets.

This includes connection of the Victorian side of of Marinus Link and the state’s first offshore wind farms, as well as delivering the transmission upgrade plans it inherited from AEMO, including the controversial VNI West and Western Renewables Link projects.

The word “nuclear” was carefully avoided by D’Ambrosio in her address to the forum – the purpose of which was to update industry on the “complex program of works needed to enable the transition” – but the subject of the Coalition’s latest anti-renewables policy tack could not go unspoken.

“Now I want to say one fact, and I won’t dwell on it for too long, but we’ll have to be careful about what’s promised in terms of alternative plans,” she told the gathering of more than 150 at the RACV Club in Melbourne.

“We have had, in recent days, a lot of commentary, big vision stuff, very little detail, that basically wants everyone to believe that we don’t need transmission infrastructure to be built in this state.

“I can tell you this. If we have a look at Gippsland … up until 2035, when Loy Yang A exits the market, the existing transmission line will be pretty much filled up by new renewable energy projects that are going to be built. And …we’re going to need more transmission.

“So just in case anyone’s in any doubt about that, that is what’s really important – that we stick to the facts, stick to the plan and get on and get it done.

“Because if we don’t, we’re going to basically tip over all of the objectives that we’ve committed to and that is having an orderly, well planned and facilitated transition that has infrastructure in place when we need it. That’s what communities want and that’s what we will deliver.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, D’Ambrosio was a little more forthright in her views on the Coalition’s newly announced energy plan.

“There’s a whole range of [Victorian] projects that …will be delivered before Peter Dutton delivers his fantasy projects,” the minister told Renew Economy.

“He claims he can have a reactor built in Victoria …by 2035. 2035 is just under 11 years away, so it’s not possible. That’s the reality of it. Marinus Link is planned to be built well ahead of that, so is VNI West, so will Victoria’s [targets of] 65% renewable energy by 2030 and 95% by 2035.”

But is the minister worried that all this talk of nuclear, fantasy or not, is affecting investor and developer confidence?

“I think Peter Dutton and his ilk would like it to dampen investment confidence,” D’Ambrosio said. “But as far as we’re concerned, in Victoria, we’re very clear and ambitious about working with industry to continue the transition, and it’s going to be based on renewable energy.

“It’s cheaper. It can be done more quickly. And we’re doing it now. We’re on a good thing and we’re going to stick to it.”