There are mixed reactions to the federal government giving Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, including the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI West) KerangLink, $1.5billion in concessional financing. 

The Albanese government promised the creation of 6,000 new jobs thanks to the KerangLink, and $1.8billion in net market benefits.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the announcement demonstrated the Albanese government's commitment to progressing the renewable transformation with the states and territories.

"For too long, national energy policy has been ad hoc and hollow — today is another step in turning this around and putting reliable, affordable power and new energy jobs first," he said.

More sun than the Sunshine Coast

Mildura Mayor Liam Wood said the infrastructure would open up the region to billions of dollars worth of service.

"The saying goes we've got more sunshine than the Sunshine Coast, so we've got the largest uptake in private solar, and that just goes to show [what] it means to this area," he said.

"It really opens up the scope for renewable energy to come to the region but also ongoing work with large-scale solar."

Western Victorian farmer Will Elsworth said the Ballarat community was against the project so long as the plan remained to build overhead powerlines through the region.

"They're talking about putting about grand power lines through some of the best food bowls or agricultural resources in Australia," he said.

Mr Elsworth said the community was not against renewables, but they wanted the government to "build better in a considered manner"  and have the powerlines underground.

"We don't want a terminal station 12 times the MCG put on a waterway," he said.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is responsible for the Integrated System Plan road map.