Landholders with transmission infrastructure proposed on their property will be offered a Land Easement and Access Package, which includes compensation and benefits negotiated through an Option for Easement (OfE) agreement.

Compensation is determined on a case-by-case basis by a qualified independent valuer. in line with the principles of the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act (LACA) 1986 and the Valuation of Land Act 1960 (Vic). It may include:

• Market Value: Compensation is based on the difference in the market value of the land before and after the easement is acquired.

• Disturbance: Covers financial losses that occur as a direct, natural, and reasonable result of acquiring the easement. This could include lost income from farming operations affected by construction.

• Severance & Depreciation: Covers the devaluation (reduced value) of remaining land or property improvements (like a house), outside of the identified easement. Also access restrictions caused by the easement if it ‘severs’ previously connected areas or disrupts land use.

• Special Value: Refers to financial value that is unique to the landholder, not the general market. It recognises when a property feature has specific economic value to you, even if it wouldn’t increase the property’s resale value.

• Reimbursement of professional advice costs, including legal, valuation, agronomy, insurance, and tax advice

In addition to compensation, landholders may be eligible for the Landholder Benefit Payment, an Option Fee, the Construction Licence Fee, and the Victorian Government Landholder Payment.

For a detailed breakdown of compensation, please refer to part three of the landholder guide.

The Landholder Benefit Payment recognises the landholder’s role in enabling critical infrastructure. Payment is unlocked by entering the Enablement and Access Deed.

• $46,000 per hectare of transmission easement (pro rata), paid in three stages:

• 20% on signing the Enablement and Access Deed

• 20% on signing the Option for Easement by July 1, 2026

• 60% on exercising the Option for Easement

Yes. Landholders who host VNI West transmission infrastructure on their property are eligible for a comprehensive package of compensation and benefits, including the Landholder Benefit Payment, which recognizes their role in enabling critical energy infrastructure.

Landholder Benefit Payment

Landholders will receive $46,000 per hectare of transmission easement (pro rata, rounded to the nearest 100m²). This is paid in three stages:

• 20% on signing the Enablement and Access Deed

• 20% on signing the Option for Easement by 1 July 2026

• 60% on exercising the Option for Easement

This payment is in addition to compensation for land use impacts and is indexed to CPI.

Victorian Government Landholder Payment

An additional $8,000 per kilometre per year of new easement, paid annually for 25 years and indexed to inflation. This is separate from TCV’s compensation package.

An initial compensation assessment will be calculated by a qualified valuer in line with the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 (Vic) and the Valuation of Land Act 1960 (Vic).

The valuer may visit your property (with your agreement) to understand how the proposed easement could affect land value and farming operations. Their assessment will consider:

• Market value loss

• Disturbance to your business or land use

• Severance or depreciation of land outside the easement

• Any special value unique to your property

You’ll receive a Landholder Payment Estimate in your Land Easement and Access Package, outlining the proposed compensation. This is a starting point for negotiation and can be refined based on your feedback and supporting evidence.

TCV encourages landholders to seek independent professional advice, including valuation and legal support. TCV will cover reasonable costs for this advice, regardless of whether you sign an agreement.

If you disagree with the valuation-informed compensation assessment, you can:

• Provide feedback and supporting evidence

• Request a conference between valuers to potentially resolve the differences

• Continue negotiating or pursue mediation if needed

The process is designed to be transparent and fair, ensuring landowners receive fair and full compensation that reflects the real impact on their property, including market value, disturbance, and other losses

No, compensation amounts will vary depending on each property’s circumstances. A qualified valuer will assess the impacts and determine payments based on things like market value loss, farming disruption, and other property-specific factors.

However, some payments are fixed:

• A $50,000 sign-on fee from TCV ($30,000 or 20% brought forward from easement compensation, whichever figure is larger).

• A Landholder Benefit Payment of $46,000 per hectare of transmission easement (pro rata, rounded to the nearest 100m²)

• A $200,000 payment over 25 years from the Victorian Government ($8,000 per year, indexed to CPI).

Additional compensation - such as for disturbance or severance - will be negotiated as part of the Option for Easement agreement.

If your total indicative easement compensation is $30,000 or less, the option fee structure is as follows:

Upfront payment: You will receive a flat $20,000 payment, plus 20% of your total easement compensation as part of the option fee. This portion is paid when the Option for Easement agreement is signed.

Remaining compensation:

• 60% of the easement compensation is paid when the option is exercised (i.e. when TCV confirms it will proceed with the easement).

• The final 20% is paid when the easement is formally registered on your property title.

This structure ensures that landholders receive a significant portion of their compensation early in the process, while also aligning payments with key project milestones.

No. Compensation is paid for hosting a transmission easement, whether it includes towers or just lines. Hosting lines without towers is still considered an easement.

The fixed payments - including the sign-on fee, Landholder Benefit Payment, and the Victorian Government’s $200,000 commitment - are calculated in the same way for properties hosting lines only or both lines and towers.

Other forms of compensation, such as payments for disturbance, severance or diminution in market value, will vary according to the specific circumstances affecting each property and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

No. The easement compensation, Landholder Benefit Payment and State Government Payment process outlined in the Landholder Guide applies only to properties that contain a transmission easement.

However, VicGrid is developing guidance to clarify how impacts on neighbouring landholders who are significantly affected by nearby transmission projects will be managed. TCV will follow this guidance once available.

General information about the reforms work VicGrid is undertaking can be found on the Victorian Energy and Engage Victoria websites: Victorian Energy and Engage Victoria.

Neighbouring landholders who are considered ‘significantly impacted’ by nearby transmission infrastructure may also be eligible for support in the future.

VicGrid is developing guidance to set clear expectations for managing impacts on these neighbouring properties. Payments to significantly impacted neighbours will be made directly by transmission companies, such as TCV, to landowners based on guidance developed by VicGrid.

Proposed advice available on the VicGrid website states:

It’s proposed transmission companies make a one-off maximum payment of up to $40,000 to eligible landholders, with the amount scaled in proportion to the distance of the land’s dwelling or sensitive land use to the nearest new transmission infrastructure.

Learn more about the draft REZ Community Benefits Plan’s proposals here: https://engage.vic.gov.au/vtif-rez-community-benef...

Compensation under the Option for Easement agreement is generally paid in two instalments:

• 80% of the total payment is made when TCV issues the notice to exercise the option.

• 20% of the total payment is made once the easement is registered on the property title.

TCV is open to adjusting the timing and method of compensation payments to better suit individual landholder needs. For example, landholders may choose to receive their compensation as annual payments spread over seven years. These options can be discussed with your Landholder Liaison.

VicGrid is aware that under current federal tax law, compensation and hosting payments for new transmission projects are generally treated as taxable. We acknowledge the impacts this has on the payments that are intended to offset impacts on landholders.

VicGrid is actively advocating with inter-state jurisdictions and the Commonwealth Government on exploring options to address this issue, including applying for an Australian Taxation Office class ruling.

We will share updates once there is a clear outcome.