Pilot Information for Community
To support the rollout of the new Community Benefits Guideline for Large-scale Renewable Energy Projects in the South West Interconnected System, PoweringWA is delivering the Community Benefits Plan Pilot across two areas within the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) footprint - the Central Coast and Southern Wheatbelt regions. Resources and learnings from the Pilot will be shared with Local Governments, project developers and the broader community to help them adopt and engage with the Guideline.
What are Community Benefits Plans?
Community Benefits Plans are roadmaps for benefits spending, developed collaboratively by members of the local community. They will support communities to articulate a clear and strategic approach to spending funds from new renewable projects, helping to make sure they are place-based and supported by streamlined and transparent decision‑making.
Importantly, these Plans are designed through Community Workshops, which are made up of representatives from a cross-section of the local community. The expertise and local knowledge of local people will be important to developing effective Plans that deliver against local priorities.
What is the Community Benefits Plan Pilot?
The Pilot is supporting the rollout of the Guideline by developing Community Benefits Plans in the Shires of Narrogin, West Arthur, Victoria Plains and Dandaragan. PoweringWA will work with these communities to develop Plans that align benefits funding with locally identified priorities and deliver positive social, cultural and economic outcomes for local communities, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model.
Ultimately, the Pilot will test and refine the Community Benefits Plan process to ensure it supports the best possible outcomes for communities affected by new renewable projects in the SWIS.
Have your say: Community Workshops
PoweringWA will facilitate Community Workshops in each of the four communities participating in the Pilot later this year. These Workshops will be a chance to work collaboratively with other local people and groups to shape and inform your local Community Benefits Plan.
Dates and times for these workshops will be shared here once they are confirmed.
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Resources and Factsheets
PoweringWA is developing resources to help you and your community understand the Community Benefits Guideline and the Pilot program. Follow the links below to find out more:
Read the Guideline
The full Guideline, along with accompanying documents, can be downloaded below:
Get in touch
If you have questions, concerns or need help to find more information, please email our PoweringWA Community Support team at PoweringWAsupport@deed.wa.gov.au.
Community Benefits Guideline
PoweringWA has released the Community Benefits Guideline to support communities hosting new energy infrastructure to realise meaningful benefits from WA’s energy transition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the Community Benefits Guideline.
Pilot Information for Local Governments
Information about the Community Benefits Plan Pilot for Local Governments in the South West Interconnected System.