Going Underground - ACCIONA announces Mortlake South Wind Farm Transmission Line decision

ACCIONA has announced its intention to build an underground transmission line for its new Mortlake South Wind Farm, demonstrating its commitment to working closely with communities to deliver tailored local solutions.  

The 220 kV transmission line is planned to run approximately 15km from the Mortlake South Wind Farm to the Terang Terminal Station.

The decision was revealed today at a sod-turning event on site, which was attended by the Hon Lily D'Ambrosio MP, Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
Several details including the exact route are yet to be completed, and approvals still need to be granted by relevant stakeholders.

The proposed route will be finalised based on a range of factors including environmental, cultural heritage and engineering considerations aimed at minimising the impact of the wind farm’s construction and ongoing presence.

“It’s more expensive, but it’s the right thing to do for this project,” said Brett Wickham, ACCIONA Energy Australia’s Managing Director.

“We examined various options, and of course are fully aware that existing aboveground transmission lines have caused some angst locally. As our approach is to invest in local areas for the long term and work cooperatively with communities, we felt this decision would be the most appropriate local solution for these specific circumstances.

“I’d like to thank the local community for their ongoing cooperation, and we will provide more updates as the proposal develops.”

Construction works for the site compound at the wind farm have recently begun.