Network partners sought to build poles, wires and community trust in hotly contested renewable zone | RenewEconomy

The New South Wales government has launched a search for the best network operator to deliver and operate one of the most in-demand and most hotly contested renewable energy zones in the state, in a move looks beyond the incumbent operators of the zone’s poles and wires.

The Energy Corporation of NSW, or EnergyCo, said on Monday it is calling for registrations of interest for a long-term partner to help deliver and operate the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) network, as part of the state’s NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.

The New England REZ, located within the Transgrid transmission network, has some of the best natural energy resources in the country, according to EnergyCo, including some of the state’s finest potential sites for pumped-hydro development.

Centred around Armidale, the REZ takes in Walcha to the south and Glen Innes to the north and is expected to host up to 8 gigawatts of new renewable energy and storage projects – making it the state’s biggest REZ, by capacity – as well as new grid infrastructure, including to connect it to the main backbone transmission network.

EnergyCo says the competitive tender is seeking a long-term partner to design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the network infrastructure.

It says the successful proponent will have demonstrated capability building and operating high voltage transmission networks as well as the ability to work collaboratively with generation and storage projects – as well as with landholders and local communities.

The latter will be all-important, given the region is also known as a hot spot of opposition to renewables, not least because the federal member for New England, former leader of the National Party Barnaby Joyce, has been leading protests in a bid to stop the roll out of large scale wind and solar.

In March last year, EnergyCo released a revised route for the transmission line being proposed for the REZ, running from north of Armidale to the Bayswater power station in the Hunter Valley.

The “revised study corridor” included some significant deviations around the Dungowan and Glenbawn areas near Tamworth, dodging a number of “hobby farms” or lifestyle properties, and making more use of state land.

“We have worked with landowners to better understand opportunities to improve the corridor, which will ensure this critical project is delivered on schedule to secure NSW’s energy future,” EnergyCo’s then CEO, James Hay, said in a statement at the time.

With the launch of the competitive tender this week, EnergyCo says the successful network operator will be expected to have “early and positive engagement with communities, First Nations people, local councils, landowners and other stakeholder groups,” which will earn trust and establish long-term relationships.

“EnergyCo’s focus is on delivering the New England REZ, and to do so, it’s essential that we find a strong network operator who will help us connect new renewable energy projects to electricity consumers, with a focus on building long-term relationships with landowners and local communities,” says New England REZ project director, Doug Parris.

“We are confident the market will deliver a strong network operator with demonstrated experience in capability building and operating high voltage transmission networks,” adds EnergyCo’s current CEO Hannah McCaughey.

EnergyCo says an industry briefing will be held on Thursday March 27 to give potential bidders a better understanding of the process and the role of the network operator.

The procurement process will be carried out in parallel with EnergyCo’s ongoing work with landowners and the community, as well as environmental investigations, as EnergyCo continues to refine the REZ network infrastructure project.

Last year, EnergyCo awarded the mandate for the Central-West Orana zone to the AceRez consortium comprising Acciona Concesiones, Cobra, and Endeavour Energy.

The progress on the New England REZ follows last year’s deal with network company Ausgrid to operate the new Hunter-Central Coast REZ, said to be the first in Australia to focus on existing infrastructure rather than building new transmission lines.

The Hunter-Central Coast project aims to add an extra gigawatt of capacity to that part of the grid, allowing for new wind and solar projects to be built in a region that takes in Newcastle, Maitland, Cessnock, Singleton and Muswellbrook – essentially the heart of the state’s coal industry.

Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and deputy editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.

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