Victoria’s New Community Engagement Guidelines for Energy Projects

Victoria has introduced updated guidelines to strengthen how renewable energy and transmission developers engage with communities, landholders and Traditional Owners.

Released by VicGrid and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action in July 2026, the Community Engagement and Social Value Guidelines establish minimum expectations for engagement and the delivery of lasting social and economic benefits.

The guidelines reflect growing expectations that energy projects should not only inform communities about proposed developments, but also provide meaningful opportunities to influence decisions.

What do the guidelines mean for engagement professionals?

The guidelines cover renewable energy generation, storage and transmission projects, with a focus on early engagement, fair treatment and stronger relationships with affected communities.

Key expectations include:

• Providing clear information and opportunities for communities to shape decisions.
• Supporting fair and transparent negotiations with landholders and neighbours.
• Strengthening partnerships with Traditional Owners through self-determined processes.
• Working with affected groups to develop social value and economic benefits that respond to local priorities.
• Taking responsibility for the long-term impacts of energy infrastructure.

The guidelines also address concerns raised by landholders, including insurance liability, contractual arrangements and decommissioning responsibilities.

These expectations reinforce the importance of considering engagement and community outcomes throughout a project’s life, rather than treating engagement as a single stage of development.

A stronger connection between engagement and project approvals

An important development is the link between these expectations and Victoria’s proposed new grid access arrangements.

Under the Victorian Access Regime, expected to commence in July 2027, projects applying for access to the electricity network through the new regime will need to demonstrate that they meet the guidelines.

In the meantime, VicGrid is working with developers to align their engagement approaches with the updated expectations.

This creates an opportunity for project teams to review how they plan, deliver and document engagement, particularly how community input informs decisions and how benefits are developed with affected communities.

What can practitioners take away?

For engagement professionals working across the energy sector, the guidelines highlight the importance of moving beyond consultation activity to demonstrate meaningful outcomes.

Effective engagement requires enough time for communities to participate, clarity about what can be influenced and genuine consideration of local knowledge and concerns.

The updated guidelines provide a useful reference point for practitioners across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly those navigating complex infrastructure projects and increasing expectations around community benefits.

Explore VicGrid’s Community Engagement and Social Value Guidelines

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Strong engagement starts with realistic timeframes. Engagement Institute’s new Engagement Timeframes Policy and Guidance Tool help practitioners consider project complexity, community needs and opportunities for influence when planning engagement.

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