[On-screen text: VicGrid logo. Victoria State Government logo. Building a resilient energy grid for Victoria]
[On screen footage: wind turbines and sheep, cars crossing a bridge over water, VicGrid staff engaging with community members]
Alistair Parker: We've been set up by the Victorian Government to do a better job of planning Victoria's renewable energy infrastructure to make sure communities have a real voice in the process and see real benefits.
[On screen footage: wind turbines]
Our system is undergoing really significant change.
[On screen text and footage: Alistair Parker. Chief Executive of VicGrid]
I'm Alistair Parker, Chief Executive Officer of VicGrid.
[On screen footage: Alistair talking to someone and pointing to transmission lines, footage of transmission lines, aerial view of a regional town at night.]
Coal-fired power stations have served the state well over the last 100 years, but they're reaching end of life, and they have to be replaced, so there's a lot of work to do to replace them with renewable energy sources to keep the lights on.
[On screen footage: aerial view of grassland and water, city in the distance, solar farm, wind turbines with sheep, energy storage site under construction.]
Victoria's energy grid urgently needs to be upgraded to support the new solar, wind and batteries that will deliver the power to all Victorians.
[On screen footage: Alistair.]
Alistair: We've heard from communities that they really want to be consulted; they want to be heard.
[On screen footage: people leading a community engagement session, First Nations people walking along a track and talking.]
They also want to make sure that the benefits of the energy transition are shared fairly.
[On screen footage: Traditional Owners talking.]
It's also really important that we respect the rights of Traditional Owners and that we walk in partnership.
[On screen: Alistair.]
Alistair: Above all, we hear the need to treat landholders and communities with respect.
[On screen footage and text: aerial view of trees, homes and grass, ‘VicGrid is changing the way renewable energy infrastructure is planned and delivered’.]
We've listened and VicGrid is now changing the way renewable energy infrastructure is planned and delivered.
[On screen footage: VicGrid representative speaking with a member of the community.]
We're putting early and meaningful engagement at the heart of our new approach.
[On screen: Alistair.]
Alistair: We hear so often a frustration that communities have only been talked to after the big decisions have been made.
[On screen footage: community engagement session, person taking notes.]
We're turning that process around.
Now consultation comes first.
[On screen footage: aerial view of a scenic landscape and people in the distance, close of up Traditional Owners talking.]
We are doing work upfront to engage with the landholders, communities and regional stakeholders before the big decisions are made, so that their input can help us get this right.
[On screen: aerial footage of transmission lines over grassland, regional town at dusk, Alistair.]
Alistair: We want to make sure that we build the right infrastructure to keep the lights on for all Victorians and that we minimise the impacts that it has on communities.
[On screen footage: community member speaking with a VicGrid representative, aerial view of homes.]
We're putting in place a new approach to community benefits, with new community energy funds that will see real improvements to local energy outcomes for host communities.
[On screen footage: wind turbines and sheep, aerial view of a river, Traditional Owners talking, wind turbines.]
We're also putting in place new benefit arrangements for Traditional Owners, new landholder payments, and payments for neighbours who are significantly affected by the new infrastructure.
[On screen footage: aerial footage of cattle with transmission, rolling hills, energy storage site under construction, transmission tower.]
The energy transition that's underway could be a game changer for regional Victoria, but only if we can all work together to do it well.
[On screen footage: Alistair, person talking to community members at a workshop.]
Alistair: I'm really excited by the opportunity that this offers regional Victoria, but we have to do our part and really work respectfully and in partnership with communities.
[On screen footage and text: aerial view of a regional town, VicGrid logo, Victoria State Government logo.]
Page last updated: 19/03/25