Mayor encourages nuclear energy conversation, solar policy on the table

Griffith City Council's Solar Energy Farms and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) is now on public exhibition.

The document seeks to minimise land use conflicts, avoid sterilisation of agricultural land and ensure adequate provisions are made to restore developed land at the end of the life of a project.

It also evaluates information on site selection and details on technical studies and plans to submit.

Stringent development controls such as design and environmental safeguards, hazards and risks and assurances for rehabilitation at the end of the project's life are also included.

If endorsed it will apply to all new development applications for farms with a capacity of more than 1.0 mega watts not co-located with a large-scale electricity user such as an industry.

A key objective of the policy is to avoid the use of productive agricultural land, with an impact assessment required to include justification for the project and if a site design can be amended to reduce impacts.

"The reason why we want to have this policy in place is so once something new comes along we can make sure there are protocols to ensure landholders aren't negatively impacted," Griffith City mayor Doug Curran said.

"We are a close community in terms of paddocks and we want to ensure projects don't jeopardise any agricultural endeavours."

Meanwhile Cr Curran says he is open to the prospect of nuclear energy in the area, nothing it as an important conversation to be having.

"It's a difficult one," Cr Curran said.

"Solar and wind has repercussions and nuclear is meant to be cleaner for the environment, but there are risks.

"Importantly, I'm glad the conversation is happening.

"Solar is very topical; we have an application submitted to council at the moment and we are a strong food bowl area.

"Whether nuclear would work well in our neck of the woods isn't clear and would be another step.

"But I do think we should take the opportunity to have a conversation about this and see where it leads as it is a national decision after all."

Both member for Farrer Sussan Ley and Murray MP Helen Dalton have backed exploring options for nuclear energy.