Transmission line infrastructure critical to connecting solar and wind farms in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWO REZ) will begin construction in mid-2025 after the New South Wales (NSW) government awarded the proponent, ACEREZ the project contract and reached financial close.
ACEREZ is a consortium of Spain-headquartered renewable energy developers Acciona Concesiones and Cobra, with NSW-based utility Endeavour Energy, and was appointed by REZ coordinator the Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo) to design, build and finance the CWO REZ transmission project, plus operate and maintain it for the next 35 years.
NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said getting the deal done brings NSW closer to delivering more affordable and reliable renewable energy to its households and businesses.
“With three out of four of the state’s remaining coal-fired power stations set to close in less than 10 years, this renewable energy zone will help us meet our future energy needs in order to keep the lights on and avoid price spikes,” Sharpe said.
“The project will also inject billions of dollars in private investment into the Central-West Orana region by 2030, along with thousands of jobs and opportunities for local suppliers.”
ACEREZ chief executive Trevor Armstrong said it is ia significant milestone and ACEREZ is proud to play a role in powering homes and businesses in NSW for generations to come.
“We will work alongside Central-West Orana communities to provide jobs and economic growth and lasting benefits across the region,” Armstrong said.
Image: ACEREZ
The project will deliver at least 4.5 GW of new network capacity by 2028, to connect 7.7 GW of solar and wind projects, which is enough to power more than 2 million homes each year.
It will generate an economic boost in the Central-West Orana region and NSW as a whole, supporting more than 5,000 construction jobs at its peak and bringing $20 billion (USD 12.6 billion) in private investment into the region by 2030.
EnergyCo chief executive officer Hannah McCaughey said EnergyCo looks forward to continuing its relationship with ACEREZ as the project progresses the CWO REZ, which will harness abundant wind and solar resources to power NSW.
“The Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone is part of a once-in-a-generation extension of the NSW electricity grid. It’s a major step in securing our energy future and keeping the lights on as coal-fired power stations retire.”
The NSW government is investing $128 million in communities which will host the Central-West Orana REZ, through grants for local councils as well as community and First Nations groups and projects.
The recipients of the first round of grants will soon be announced, to inject funding into the area before major construction starts.
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