Global energy provider ENGIE is advancing construction on its 250-megawatt Goorambat East Solar Farm, a renewable energy project designed to boost Victoria’s clean energy supply.
Situated approximately 12 kilometres north of Benalla and south of Goorambat township on Yorta Yorta Country, the 630-hectare site encompasses five privately owned rural properties.
The facility will house roughly 500,000 solar photovoltaic panels, generating enough electricity to power up to 105,000 average Victorian homes while helping displace approximately 558,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
ENGIE acquired the project from Neoen in 2023, though its origins lie with local landowners who proactively identified their properties as suitable for solar development.
Early site works wrapped up in mid-2024 before main construction commenced later that year. Construction is slated for completion in 2026, with power generation expected to start in 2027 via a new terminal station connected to the existing 220kV Shepparton-to-Dederang transmission line.
The project is bringing direct employment to northern Victoria, creating up to 200 jobs at peak construction.
The solar farm will connect to a newly built Goorambat East Terminal Station, to be located alongside the existing single circuit 220kV transmission line route between Shepparton Terminal Station (SHTS) and Dederang Terminal Station (DDTS).
Alongside employment, ENGIE has embedded long-term community initiatives into the scheme. A dedicated Community Benefit Fund will distribute AU$75,000 annually to local groups throughout the solar farm’s estimated 30-year operational life.
Administered by Bendigo Bank’s Community Enterprise Foundation with guidance from a local advisory committee, the fund targets projects offering direct community value.
Applications for the 2026 grant round close on August 12. ENGIE is also contributing financially toward a new local 5G mobile tower to boost regional connectivity.
As Victoria continues its transition toward cleaner power, the Goorambat East development highlights how large-scale energy infrastructure can work constructively alongside regional communities.