Patrick Tucker, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Gannawarra Shire Mayor Garner Smith said communities hosting major renewable energy projects should receive more in return for the changes they will bring to the district.

The comments come as projects including VNI West, solar farms and battery developments continue to expand across northern Victoria.

The North West Renewable Energy Zone covers about 18,000 square kilometres around Kerang and Swan Hill, almost twice the size of Greater Melbourne.

Cr Smith said communities deserved more in return.

“We are told that Gannawarra is playing a vital role in saving the nation and the world by hosting electricity infrastructure and renewables,” he said.

“These will change the landscape of our district for the rest of our lives.

“Offering us pennies in return, equivalent to welfare, will guarantee these projects do not go ahead or suffer costly delays.

“Come to the negotiating table with genuine intent to forge a future that our community can embrace.”

Cr Smith said many metropolitan residents did not appreciate the scale of development being proposed across northern Victoria.

“The North West REZ covers over 25 per cent of Gannawarra, and approximately 50 per cent of western Gannawarra,” he said.

“Not all this will be used for renewables, but a lot is under active investigation for turbine, solar and battery installations.

“I saw proposals that, when combined, would have meant if you climbed to the top of Mount Hope and looked toward Macorna, there would be turbines as far as the eye could see.

“Especially west of the Loddon River, VNI West and renewable proposals will change the landscape of Gannawarra.”

Cr Smith said communities needed a greater say in how the benefits of renewable developments were shared.

One proposal, he said, was providing cheaper electricity to communities hosting renewable infrastructure.

Cr Smith said electricity generated and used within Gannawarra should be supplied without transmission charges, creating a cost advantage for businesses and residents.

“This would assist with cost of living for households and provide our commerce and industry with a competitive advantage,” he said.

“It would provide a unique opportunity for wealth generation that will attract residents and businesses to the area.”

Cr Smith said previous generations had embraced major electricity infrastructure because it delivered affordable power, jobs and economic opportunities.

“The development of the electricity grid provided cheap, reliable three-phase power from the vast coalfields in Gippsland to families, farmers, business and industry,” he said.

“Increasing reliability and lowering costs brought genuine opportunity for wealth creation and a better future in northern Victoria.”

Cr Smith said regional communities would live with the consequences of today’s decisions long after the projects were built.

“When decisions are made, they often change rural communities’ lives forever,” he said.

“Whatever the cost of what Gannawarra asks to host these developments, it will be less than trying to force your way through.”

“If we don’t get the best deal now, before it is built, we never will.”

VicGrid chief executive officer Alistair Parker said communities hosting new energy infrastructure deserved meaningful and lasting benefits.

“We’ve heard clearly from regional stakeholders that more needs to be done to share the benefits of the energy transition more fairly with host communities,” he said.

“We’re responding and putting in place new requirements for project developers to meet government expectations on benefit sharing as a condition of being granted access to the grid.”

Mr Parker said VicGrid was also committed to maximising opportunities for local businesses and workers through transmission projects.

“If we get this right, the transition to renewable energy has the potential to boost regional economies and leave a lasting legacy for host communities,” he said.

VicGrid recently released Community Engagement and Social Value Guidelines, which set minimum expectations for how renewable energy and transmission developers engage with communities and deliver social and economic benefits.

The Victorian Government is also introducing Renewable Energy Zone Community Benefits Plans, including community energy funds, payments for host landholders and guidance for payments to significantly impacted neighbours.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 25 June 2026.