An Australian dairy farmer has worked in Mirboo North for 43 years; now a 345-km power cable plans a 4-hectare easement across his 180-hectare farm and offers $8,000 per km annually for 25 years

For 43 years, Paul Peluso has built his life around the rhythms of dairy farming in Mirboo North, Victoria. Moving cattle between paddocks, managing pastures and keeping the milking operation running are routines shaped by years of working the same land. Now, a major electricity transmission project threatens to disrupt that carefully established system, leaving the farmer weighing the promise of compensation against the potential cost to his livelihood, states an online report by Head Topics. Scroll down to read the details.A power line through working farmlandAccording to the online report, Peluso’s farm lies along the proposed route of Marinus Link, a 345-kilometre electricity and communications connection linking Tasmania with Victoria. The project will run beneath Bass Strait before continuing underground through Gippsland to the Latrobe Valley, adds the report.The report adds that for Peluso, the immediate concern is a proposed four-hectare easement across his 180-hectare property. Although the cables will be buried, construction will require trenching and access to the land over a period that could extend across six years. The route also cuts across tracks used to move cattle between paddocks and the milking sheds. Peluso fears that construction, changes to water movement and possible soil disturbance could affect pasture growth and make daily farm operations more difficult.Compensation versus long-term lossesIf we go by the report by Head Topics, the proposed arrangement includes an annual payment of $8,000 per kilometre for 25 years, alongside compensation for the construction period. Peluso believes the initial construction payment falls well short of the losses he anticipates from disruption to his business.The report also mentions that his niece, Emma Germano, a former Victorian Farmers Federation president, is helping him negotiate the terms. She is concerned that the easement could also affect the property's resale value, with prospective buyers potentially reluctant to take on a farm facing uncertain construction impacts and long-term restrictions.A request to shift the easement towards a rear boundary fence to reduce interference with cattle loading was rejected, adding to the family's concerns about how the project will affect the property.A national energy project with local consequencesFor the uninitiated, Marinus Link is designed to strengthen electricity sharing between Tasmania and Victoria. Its first stage will provide 750 megawatts of capacity, enough to supply approximately 750,000 homes. Tasmania's hydroelectric generation could help meet Victorian demand, while surplus solar and wind power from Victoria could flow in the opposite direction.The project involves 255 kilometres of undersea cable and 90 kilometres of underground cable in Victoria. The first stage is scheduled for completion in 2030, followed by a second stage in 2033. The combined cost of the two stages was estimated at $7.57 billion by the Australian Energy Market Operator in August last year.Also, energy analysts argue that the connection will become increasingly important as coal-fired power stations close and electricity demand rises. Better links between the states could help manage supply and reduce pressure on wholesale prices.Finding a balance between progress and livelihoodsNot everyone is convinced that the benefits justify every local cost. Critics point to the rapid expansion of battery storage across Australia and question some of the assumptions behind major transmission investments. Marinus Link says it has engaged with landholders since 2019 and aims to negotiate access respectfully, with compulsory acquisition considered only when necessary. The time required on individual properties will depend on factors including weather, engineering requirements and ground conditions.Image Courtesy: istock and Head TopicsYou use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.