Community consultation sessions have drawn mixed reactions from the public as power infrastructure companies attempt to speak with affected residents.
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A number of sessions have occurred this month encouraging members of the community to ask questions about The Western Renewables Link, formally known as the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project.
Some of these include sit down dinners supplied by electrical company AusNet. These sessions are capped at 20 people and registration is required.
On Wednesday evening a dinner will take place at Creswick Town Hall. So far, only five people have registered to attend the dinner whereas other dinner locations closer to Melton have been full.
An AusNet spokesperson said in a statement that the dinners were created so everyone could have their say and allow people who might be uncomfortable in large groups to attend.
"Local communities do play a vital role in shaping renewable energy infrastructure," the spokesperson said.
"We have acted on many of these suggestions, and this has led to, for example, changes to parts of the proposed route and further studies into environmental issues."
Changes to the proposed route of the WRL were released on AusNet's website earlier this month.
Updates between Waubra and Glendonald were made to "more closely follow property and parcel boundaries where possible", the report said.
Changes in Bolwarrah were made to reduce impact on plants while changes in Myrniong were to "reduce the visual scale of towers from Myrniong township". A decision on the route around the Hepburn Lagoon has not yet been decided. The potential impact this might have on plants and animals will be outlined in the Environment Effects Statement.
AusNet anticipates the EES will be given to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in "late 2022". The full report can be read online at The Courier.
AusNet has also been running drop-in sessions, with 16 people attending a recent session in Brown Hill. "We thank the community for the feedback and suggestions they have given us so far," an AusNet spokesperson said.
Korobert resident Sandra Attard has said she was not pleased with the dinners advertised by AusNet.
"I saw a big one page ad about it and I was really upset when I saw it," Ms Attard said. "Just a few days ago, I found out that there was an alignment change in our area."
Ms Attard said it would be easier if the community could receive information about changes to AusNet's WRL all together like in a town hall.
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