National Energy Transformation Partnership set to have greater energy powers

In announcing the establishment of the new National Energy Transformation Partnership, energy ministers said it would allow them to "progress the timely delivery of critical projects and ensure better community consultation."

They said the first priority under the new partnership was to "identify opportunities to accelerate delivery of priority transmission projects, and progress associated regulatory reforms so they are fit for purpose and streamlined".

The western Victorian lobby group opposing AusNet's Western Renewables Link project - a 190-kilometre transmission line proposed to run between Stawell and Sydenham - is seeking clarification about the declaration.

Stop AusNet's Towers spokesperson and Myrniong farmer Emma Muir said she would like to see greater engagement with the community.

Ms Muir said she understood Australia was in the middle of an energy crisis but Stop AusNet's Towers would be seeking more detail in a bid to understand the impact of the decision.

"Yet again, we are not even at the table, we are not invited," she said.

"If they [power providers and governments] engage in the right way, we are happy to work with them.

"But if there is no engagement - just outdated, old-fashioned technology - we will protest against that, as will the whole of Victoria, Tasmania and NSW."

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Patrick Flanagan, Blauvelt Poll Dorset stud, Coimadai, said he believed the latest move was just another way to bulldoze the towers through.

"We will have no say in it," Mr Flanagan said.

He said protesters were not opposed to the transmission line being built, but "the lines should be going underground, where there is very little environmental impact on everyone".

One of the transmission lines now flagged as of national significance is the 220km Marinus Link - an electricity connection between Victoria and Tasmania.

In Tasmania land can be compulsorily acquired by government business enterprises, such as TasNetworks, which is responsible for Marinus Link.

Cressy, Tas, prime lamb producer Scott Colvin said TasNetworks was proposing a doubling of the size of the transmission lines across his property while increasing their capacity tenfold.

"We have invested significant capital in recent years in pivot irrigation, fencing and laneways that will all potentially have to be moved," Mr Colvin said.

He said as Tasmanian government business enterprises, such as TasNetworks, had the power of compulsory acquisition, famers were handicapped in their negotiations on things like where infrastructure would go and compensation.

"How are you going to come to the negotiating table, when one party has the power of acquisition and a stopwatch on the negotiations?" he said.

"It hampers your willingness to invest, am I going to put a a centre pivot in a paddock when I am not sure it's going to be in the way of a transmission line in two years' time?"

A TasNetworks spokesperson said the organisation did not anticipate the latest development would disadvantage landowners in Tasmania.

The Victorian government was contacted for comment but did not respond in time for deadline.