Overview
Background
Flotation Energy Pty Ltd is proposing to construct an offshore wind farm in Commonwealth waters off the coast of Ninety Mile Beach, which will connect into Victoria’s electricity network in the Latrobe Valley. The proposal includes 150 wind turbines and a network of subsea cables, with an indicative generation capacity of 1.5 gigawatts.
The scope of the EES referral covers the Victorian section of the project from the 3 nautical mile (NM) limit of Victorian coastal waters.
The Victorian jurisdiction is expected to include subsea export cables and a shore crossing, up to two substations, underground or overhead transmission cables and a terminal station connection.
The proposed project would have an expected operational life of 60 years.
Process
Scoping Requirements
The scoping requirements set out the matters to be investigated and documented in the Environmental Effects Statement (EES). Draft scoping requirements are yet to be prepared. Once prepared the draft will be publicly advertised for a period of 15 business days.
After considering public submissions on the draft scoping requirements, the Minister for Planning will issue final scoping requirements.
The project also requires approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Victoria and the Commonwealth plan to coordinate administration of assessment processes where possible.
Consultation Plan
Flotation Energy Pty Ltd will prepare a consultation plan for the EES, outlining the opportunities and approaches for its community engagement during the preparation of the EES. The plan will be refined following advice from DTP and the Technical Reference Group and will be published on this web page.
The consultation plan may be adapted or modified to meet changing community needs and requirements throughout the EES process.
Technical Reference Group
DTP convened an inter-agency Technical Reference Group at the request of the Minister for Planning to advise DTP and the proponent on scoping and adequacy of the EES studies and documentation, as well as co-ordination of the EES process with other statutory processes for the project.
The government organisations represented on the Technical Reference Group are:
- DTP Impact Assessment Unit
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- DTP Planning Group
- DEECA Renewables Planning Team
- DEECA Forest, Fire and Regions
- DEECA Marine Knowledge Group
- DTP Transport
- Environment Protection Authority (Victoria)
- First Peoples - State Relations
- Heritage Victoria
- Agriculture Victoria
- Wellington Shire Council
- Southern Rural Water
- West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
- Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation
- Safe Transport Victoria (Maritime Safety)
Technical Reference Group representatives are supported by internal experts on specific aspects of the EES studies.
Minister's Decision
On 10 April 2022 the Minister for Planning required Flotation Energy Pty Ltd to prepare an Environment Effects Statement (EES) under the Environment Effects Act 1978 to assess the potential environmental effects of the project, specifically the works proposed within Victorian jurisdiction.
More Information
If you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch via the contact details below.
Proposed Seadragon Offshore Wind project queries:
Flotation Energy Pty Ltd
✉ Email: enquiries-Australia@flotationenergy.com
EES process queries:
Impact Assessment Unit