Essential Services Commission wants to hear from landowners and others regarding land access

The Essential Services Commission (ESC) is planning a statement of expectations for transmission companies to follow when accessing land and would like input, particularly from those who may have had their land accessed by transmission companies in the past.

Essential Services Commission chief executive John Hamill said it was important that access was reasonable.

"Landholders expect transmission companies to respect their land by following reasonable and transparent processes," Dr Hamill said.

The commission had already published draft principles for transmission companies to follow to ensure that landowners are engaged respectfully.

"We will engage with a wide range of stakeholders in developing the statement of expectations, including landowners, community organisations and energy companies," he said.

Dr Hamill said following the statement of the expectations, the commission would develop an enforceable access code.

But Energy Grid Alliance director Darren Edwards said the statement is a "great first in outlining how electricity transmission companies need to engage with interested parties in land, whether it be for transmission line maintenance or studies for proposed projects".

READ MORE:

He cautioned there could be no accountability mechanism or mandatory feedback processes to measure adherence to the statement.

He said developing guidelines without an enforceable code will likely see the same patterns of access onto land continue.

"There is no mechanism in place to enforce these guidelines or penalise breaches," Mr Edwards said.

"By developing a legislated code of conduct, in parallel to the Statement of Expectations, it will establish clear boundaries that must be maintained and clear courses of action the ESC can take for non-compliance of the code.

"Using the Western Victoria Transmission Project (WVTNP) as a case study, it is clear the project proponent is not being held to account for alleged incidents that have occurred during the land access process."

Mr Edwards said communities expect transmission companies to have transparency and integrity when negotiating access to land for any future projects.

"Electricity transmission companies need to stop treating communities and interested parties in land as an annoyance to work through and start treating people with empathy, understanding, honesty, integrity and as an important part of the process," Mr Edwards said.

"Historically, transmission companies have worked in isolation to communities, but times have well and truly changed.

"With close to 5,000 kilometres of transmission lines expected throughout Victoria, now is the time for electricity transmission companies to put people first."

While current legislative powers under Section 93 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 may provide authority to access land, Mr Edwards said it was not an excuse to force access to land or be non-transparent with regional communities.

"Sadly, it is not the way these (Section 93) powers are being exercised right now, and the flawed and unaccountable process is leaving irreversible scars on people's mental health," he said.

"Electricity transmission companies need to develop public policy if they are to ever acquire social license."

On Friday, Ausnet revised its environmental effects statement submission date to late 2022 for the WVTNP.

AusNet proposed the date change to give them more time to consult with landholders regarding the project's proposed route of power lines.

Landowners and farmers throughout western Victoria have also pledged to continue protest action against the WVTNP plans.