en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Victorian Government has officially announced the designation of five onshore renewable energy zones and one Gippsland Coastline Renewable Energy Zone, the latter of which will be used for underground cables connecting offshore wind projects to the grid.

The five onshore zones are: South West, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Western, and North West. Previously, the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan proposed six onshore zones and one coastline zone. Consultations are still ongoing for the sixth onshore zone—the North Central region. VicGrid CEO Alistair Parker stated that Victoria's coal-fired power plants will close within the next 10 years, necessitating significant new renewable energy development to meet growing electricity demand. He noted that renewable energy zones will help better coordinate projects and clarify priority locations for renewable energy development to communities and industry. The zones announced by the Minister will enable VicGrid to establish clearer grid connection rules, including expectations for how projects interact with communities and deliver benefits.

These renewable energy zones are designed to leverage existing infrastructure and minimize impacts on regional communities, the environment, landowners, and key industries such as agriculture. The zone designations are based on a statewide strategic land use assessment and draw on over two years of consultations with regional communities, landowners, agricultural stakeholders, traditional owners, and the energy industry. Following the most recent round of consultations, some zone boundaries were optimized, and certain proposed renewable energy zones were canceled, with a portion of the South West zone excluded from this announcement pending further assessment of its suitability. VicGrid has also released a draft guide for the 2026 Victorian Transmission Plan, which outlines the proposed methodology for developing the next 2027 Victorian Transmission Plan, providing a 25-year outlook for the state's transmission and renewable energy generation needs.

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