Energy Safe Victoria has ordered five solar farms owned by subsidiaries of Sungrow Power Australia to cease generating electricity due to bushfire concerns.
Energy Safe issued the directions to solar farms at Raywood, Goornong, Ledcourt, Stawell, and Moolort over concerns vegetation was not being managed as required to reduce the potential for bushfires.
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The directions followed a safety blitz by Energy Safe officers who inspected 18 solar farms in the Shepparton, Bendigo, Kerang and Mildura areas over two weeks in February.
During that period a fire broke out at the Raywood solar farm on 20 February 2025. It originated in electrical equipment and spread to vegetation on the site.
When Energy Safe officers attended the scene, they observed a lack of adequate vegetation management including insufficient fire breaks and vegetation that had grown too high.
Officers also had concerns about how vegetation was being managed at four other Sungrow solar farms, two of which were inspected as part of the blitz.
The directions to stop generating electricity took effect at all five solar farms at midday on Saturday 22 February 2025. They will remain in place until Energy Safe is satisfied the vegetation is being managed appropriately to address the safety issues.
Energy Safe CEO Leanne Hughson said energy businesses have to prioritise safety and ensure their installations do not present a risk to the community.
“At the beginning of summer last year, we wrote to the operators of all solar farms in Victoria to ensure they were actively managing safety risks during the fire danger period,” she said.
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“That includes managing vegetation on the sites to minimise the risk of a fire spreading in the unlikely event that one starts in equipment.
“Solar farm owners and operators have a legal duty to minimise bushfire risks and if they don’t, we will take action to protect people and property.”
