Yeyurringal Energy reviewed all submissions, which now sit with the Victorian Department of Planning and Transport (DPT) for review, with the hopes of a response within six to eight weeks.
Council objected to the proposal for 305 Verney Rd and 221 Grahamvale Rd, which is predicted to create 100 jobs, because the sites sit within the Shepparton Irrigation Area.
An independent review raised concerns about the loss of serviced agricultural land and the impact a battery incident could have on irrigation, water quality and surrounding horticulture.
“This is productive agricultural land within a declared irrigation district, supported by important irrigation infrastructure and significant public investment,” City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Geoff Akers said.
Yeyurringal Energy chief technology officer Tony Peardon said the company had expected the objection and remained confident in the site.
“The bottom line is that the location was chosen because it’s the perfect location, we’ve gone down that path based on that,” he said.
The battery storage site is proposed to sit on land adjacent to the Shepparton Terminal Station and the 220kW transmission line, on land that is not currently irrigated.
The proposed site, which is twice the size of the Indigenous social enterprise’s next biggest planned project, avoids the need to install extra transmission infrastructure and allows the size of battery proposed.
Yeyurringal Energy questioned council’s consistency, pointing to housing and industry built on formerly irrigated farmland and orchards across Shepparton’s north and east.
“The growth of Shepparton or any town that moves on to any previously irrigated farmland is progress, and the installation of the battery is also progress,” Mr Peardon said.
All Saints Anglican School raised concerns about fire safety and toxic smoke, asking the DPT for a longer consultation period, with many from the school community living outside the notification area.
Mr Peardon said the company understood the school’s concern but added that the chemicals used in surrounding orchards posed a greater risk to students.
Council was the only one to object based on location of the site, with other objections arising due to safety during construction rather than long-term operation.
Avenis Energy, a joint partner in the proposal, engaged residents in the notification area two years ago, with letters of support numbering three times the number of objections.
If the objections stand, Mr Peardon said the project would not necessarily be scrapped, but “there could be certain outcomes that would change”.
He said Yeyurringal Energy would be unlikely to look elsewhere in the region, instead it would concentrate on other project locations already in progress.
“Everyone has the right to support and object, and we respect that,” he said.
“Ultimately we will obviously respect their final decision.”
