Horsham Rural City Council has welcomed the Victorian Government’s establishment in Horsham of the state’s first fully government-owned energy generation project.
Premier Jacinta Allan was at the project’s Riverside construction site on Wednesday to detail plans for the $370 million SEC Renewable Energy Park.
HRCC Mayor Ian Ross said the project positioned Horsham as a key player in Victoria’s clean energy landscape.
“We welcome the state government’s decision to build this landmark renewable energy park in our city. It’s a significant step towards a sustainable future for Horsham and Victoria,” Cr Ross said.
“Previously, HRCC worked with private developer OX2 on planning approvals when the project was known as the Horsham Solar Farm.
“The original scope was granted planning approval in 2018, with no objections from our local community.
“The project has now increased in capability and will now generate around 242,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy a year. That’s enough to power a city three times the size of Horsham. Importantly, there is no significant increase in the site’s footprint.
“With the project’s expansion and transfer of ownership to the Victorian Government, HRCC has been working on the necessary final approval plans and strategies to ensure our local community shares in the project’s benefits,” he said.
