Re: Powerlines entering South Gippsland from Bass Strait.
There is absolutely no need for any powerlines to enter South Gippsland from Bass Strait.
We have had to accept very poor planning in Victoria’s two previous planning efforts with BassLink and the proposed new power supply from northern Tasmania.
In both cases, pleadings were made that costs prevented the principal organisations from burying the powerlines once they entered the Victorian mainland.
Whilst one is in place (Basslink) and one has advanced planning, it is now time to seriously consider submarining any future powerlines with their origins from within Bass Strait or from across Bass Strait.
There is a redundant power station located at Anglesea. All submarine cabling from offshore wind towers should be directed through a specified marine channel to a resurrected electrical distribution centre located to the hinterland of Anglesea.
This distribution centre has a historical connection to Victoria’s electrical distribution network through the Portland connectors (west) and Melbourne (east). Why haven’t any of the politicians focussed community attention on this option?
Gippslanders have borne the brunt of energy supply to Melbourne and Victoria for over a 100 years and what have Gippslanders received in reply, from coal through oil to gas, very little industrial development.
The aluminium industry went to Portland, textiles to Geelong.
It is time to protect what we have inherited in Gippsland. Make the electrical cabling from offshore wind farms be marshalled through Bass Strait to Anglesea, regardless of cost this time!
Douglas Baud, Alberton West.
