Central-West Orana REZ Expands Renewable Energy Potential to 7.7 GW

The Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo), a statutory authority responsible for leading the delivery of Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) as part of the New South Wales (NSW) Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, announced on its website that it has increased the generation and storage capacity of the Central-West Orana REZ to 7.7 GW.

Doubling the vision

Initially planned for 3 GW, the intended network capacity for the Central-West Orana REZ was raised to 6 GW in December 2023 by the Minister for Energy. It will now operate at 4.5 GW, enabling 7.7 GW of renewable energy and storage projects to connect to the grid.

This decision takes into account the nature of renewable energy sources - wind, solar, and battery storage - that generate and export energy at different times throughout the day, and not at the same time.

This increase in transfer capacity was made official on January 16, 2025, through a transfer capacity determination under the REZ Access Scheme. EnergyCo’s current decision reflects plans to optimize the use of existing infrastructure, with no immediate expansions to the REZ transmission corridor. Any extensions in the future will have separate planning and will undergo regulatory approvals.

Stakeholder consultation shaped the decision

The decision to increase the generation capacity was taken after consultation on the Notification of Draft Headroom Assessment, which was published on August 1, 2024. Stakeholder feedback played a vital role in shaping the final decision.

Benefits beyond energy

This expanded capacity is expected to bring significant benefits to energy consumers and the local host community. It is also expected to drive economic growth and deliver cleaner power to homes and businesses across New South Wales.