MORE than 1.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gas will be pumped out during the construction of Victoria’s proposed desalination plant, and another 1.2 million tonnes emitted each year once it starts boosting Melbourne’s water supply.

The figures were released yesterday in the Government’s 1600-page environmental effects study report on the $3.1 billion project, which said the plant planned for the Bass Coast between Wonthaggi and Kilcunda would do no long-term or irreversible damage to the environment.

But confusion emerged over a Government pledge to offset the plant’s annual greenhouse footprint — roughly 1% of the state’s yearly emissions — after Water Minister Tim Holding said it could be achieved by using clean energy generated interstate.

The report says the plant’s operators must buy extra renewable energy, generated in addition to the state’s target of 10% of electricity coming from clean sources — mainly wind farms — by 2016. This would guarantee additional clean energy is introduced specifically to meet the plant’s needs.

But Mr Holding said yesterday the plant’s power did not have to come from locally based new clean energy projects, but could come from interstate.

It prompted concern from Environment Victoria, the state’s peak conservation body, that the plant’s emissio