General News
20 June, 2025
Council gets renewables grant
New solar panels and batteries will be installed at community sites in the Pyrenees Shire, thanks to a $500,000 grant from Western Renewables Link’s Community Benefits Program.
The Western Renewables Link project has partnered with Pyrenees Shire Council to identify, plan and deliver local energy efficiency projects, supported by funding through the project’s Community Benefits Program.
This includes the installation of solar panels at the Lexton Community Hub along with upgrading power and installing solar panels and batteries at Waubra Recreation Reserve.
Pyrenees Shire Council CEO Jim Nolan welcomed the funding from the Western Renewable Link’s Community Benefits Program and said the Lexton Community Hub and Waubra Recreation Reserve will have improved, reliable, and affordable electricity supplies.
“Our two community hubs are vital community assets but have been prone to electrical disruptions, particularly at times of peak use, so these upgrades will help ensure these outages are kept to a minimum,” he said.
“Works at council’s offices will also help support these venues at times of an emergency response when extended power outages occur.”
He said Pyrenees Shire Council had raised concerns over power supplied at the grounds prior to this announcement.
“Council had been advocating for more than five years for upgraded power supplies at recreation reserves at five townships, including Lexton and Waubra,” Mr Nolan said.
“The current power supply to Waubra Recreation Reserve has seen numerous power failures on game days and during events which have restricted use of the facility for sports events.
“Power supply is also inadequate for these reserves to install sports lighting to meet current AFL training standards.
“Furthermore, Community Asset Committees that manage these reserves struggle to meet operating costs associated with these facilities and solar and battery storage is part of the solution for dealing with this issue.”
He said both committees of the Lexton and Waubra Recreation Reserve had raised power concerns with council for many years.
“Waubra Recreation Reserve made strong representations to both council and Ausnet to provide an upgraded power solution for their reserve,” he said.
“These volunteer committees are the lifeblood of our community and council must support them to ensure they are sustainable into the future for community events and to maintain active sports participation.”
Additional solar and batteries to support a back up power system will also be installed at the Pyrenees Shire’s offices in Beaufort.
The Western Renewables Link is a proposed electricity transmission line that will carry renewable energy from near Bulgana in western Victoria to Sydenham in Melbourne’s north-west.
The project is critical infrastructure required to unlock the renewable energy potential of western Victoria and aims to deliver clean energy to all Victorians.