PV Tech readers will know that the Central-West Orana REZ received planning approval from NSW in late June 2024. At the time, the State Government said this was a “significant milestone” in the project’s development timeline and would pave the way for the construction of essential transmission infrastructure to connect large-scale solar, wind and energy storage projects to the grid.
Due to the scale of the project and potential impacts on Australia’s infrastructure and environment, EnergyCo also needed to obtain planning approval from the Commonwealth. With both approvals now secured, the project is moving into the implementation phase.
EnergyCo chief executive James Hay welcomed the granting of planning permission for the project, saying it meant the project had taken “a huge step forward in achieving 12GW of electricity generation”.
“This is the first REZ in the country to receive full planning approval, paving the way for a significant increase in renewable energy generation to replace ageing coal-fired power stations. The Central-West Orana REZ is not just about clean energy. This project will deliver long-term financial benefits to both NSW electricity consumers and the communities where the REZ is built,” Mr Hay said.
“EnergyCo will continue to work closely with local communities and the preferred grid operator to bring the project to financial close.”
NSW submitted an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the REZ in October 2023, which included measures to avoid, minimise or mitigate potential environmental and community impacts.
Financial completion of the project is planned for the second half of 2024. Construction is expected to begin in late 2024 and commissioning is scheduled for 2028.
Last week (2 August), EnergyCo confirmed it had begun conducting a reserves assessment to increase the total capacity that can be connected in the REZ from 3GW to 6GW. The reserves assessment is an engineering process designed primarily to support generation and energy storage projects already working with EnergyCo and covered by the Central-West Orana REZ.
PV Tech previously reported that the New South Wales Government is developing at least five separate, multi-gigawatt grid-connected REZ facilities, some of which will use long-duration energy storage (LDES), to replace traditional central power stations. The five REZs cover the Hunter-Central Coast, South West, New England, Central-West Orana and Illawarra.
The REZs are not limited to NSW, but are spread across the states across the country. Queensland, for example, recently released a roadmap detailing how it will develop its 12 REZs, while Victoria has identified six REZ sites.
