Australia's First Renewable Energy Zone: Central-West Orana Project Secures Funding, Targets 4.5 GW Capacity by 2028

The Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) transmission project in New South Wales, Australia, has secured funding and is poised to commence construction within months. This landmark initiative, overseen by EnergyCo and backed by the NSW Government, marks a significant step in Australia's transition to clean energy. ACEREZ, a consortium comprising ACCIONA, COBRA, and Endeavour Energy, has been awarded the contract to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the REZ transmission infrastructure for the next 35 years. The project aims to deliver at least 4.5 gigawatts of new network capacity by 2028, connecting 7.7 gigawatts of wind and solar projects. This is enough to power over 2 million homes annually. The Central-West Orana REZ, spanning approximately 20,000 square kilometers, will include 90 km of 500kV transmission lines and 150 km of 330kV transmission lines and eight substations. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2025, with the lines expected to become progressively operational by 2028. The NSW Government is investing $128 million in host communities through grants for Councils, community, and First Nations groups and projects. The project is expected to generate $20 billion in private investment by 2030 and create 5,000 construction jobs.