Marinus Link Project Victorian Inquiry and Advisory Committee

Overview

The Minister for Planning appointed a joint Inquiry and Advisory Committee to advise on the Victorian Environment Effects Statement (EES) and public submissions received on the proposed Marinus Link Project.

The Committee considered the Victorian aspects of the and draft Amendment GC217 affecting the Latrobe and South Gippsland Planning Schemes (PSA), which proposes to facilitate the Project.

Marinus Link Pty Ltd (the Proponent) is proposing to construct and operate a 1500-megawatt (MW) electricity interconnector between Heybridge in northwest Tasmania and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria.

The project comprises high voltage electricity cables, fibre optic cables, and converter stations in both Tasmania and Victoria. The converter stations will connect directly into the transmission networks in both Tasmania and Victoria.

Key elements of the Project in Victoria include subsea cables (from the 3 nautical mile limit in Victorian waters) to a shore crossing at Waratah Bay, a potential transition station and communications building near Waratah Bay, underground cables continuing approximately 90km northwards to the Latrobe Valley and a convertor station in the greater Hazelwood area.

Marinus Link will be constructed in two stages, initially as a 750-megawatt (MW) project (Stage 1) with a second 750 MW link to follow at a later date (Stage 2). Each stage will have three cables bundled together in Bass Strait and laid in a single trench on land. For the land cables, the trench conduits and horizontal directional drilling (HDD) ducts for both stages will be constructed as part of stage 1 to reduce disturbance to properties, land use and farming activities.

The Committee conducted a public hearing regarding Victorian matters to hear from the Proponent and submitters who wished to be heard. The Committee then advised the Minister for Planning on the effects of the Project on the Victorian environment only.

Inquiry and advisory committee members

• Sarah Carlisle (Chair)
• Tim Hellsten (Deputy Chair)
• Dr Sandra Brizga
• Ian Hamm
• Colin McIntosh

Documents

To view and download the exhibited documents (the combined Victorian EES and draft Commonwealth EIS and the draft planning scheme amendment) and any other related documents for this project, see Marinus Link Project.

Terms of reference

More information

To find out more about the Marinus Link Project, the combined EIS-EES documentation and draft PSA application contacts are:

Marinus Link Pty Ltd
(+61) 1300 765 275
teams@marinuslink.com.au
Or visit the Marinus Link website

For more information about the Minister's Assessment and EES process contact:

Impact Assessment Unit (Department of Transport and Planning)
(03) 8622 7633
environment.assessment@transport.vic.gov.au

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Page last updated: 20/12/24