Our purpose
Our role is to maximise the opportunities created by the transformation of the NSW electricity system by coordinating investment in Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) across the State.
We will channel investment in solar and wind farms and storage such as batteries and pumped hydro to places best suited to host it. This means clean energy can be harnessed and distributed reliably and affordably. This will power NSW for decades to come.
In our regions, it will generate profound economic opportunities as cheap renewable energy underpins new low carbon industries such as green hydrogen, manufacturing and metals production. Investors are ready to build the generation and storage we need right now. Five dedicated REZs have already been identified across the State.
We are coordinating the transition to ensure it happens in an orderly manner and are leading strategic planning and consultation processes, so the new transmission infrastructure needed to realise the State’s energy transition is developed in the right place, at the right time, to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to the households and businesses of NSW.
Key responsibilities
Our key responsibilities include:
Strategic planning, technical and regulatory design
- Contributing to strategic, holistic planning for each REZ.
- Coordinating the technical design of REZs in consultation with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), Transgrid as the system operator and jurisdictional planner, program partners and generators.
- Strategically improving electricity networks and providing network solutions including technology solutions that could optimise the design and performance of REZs or provide additional system strength and reliability to regional areas.
Community and stakeholder engagement
- Leading community and stakeholder engagement activities to support REZ delivery.
- Delivering tangible benefits for First Nations people and communities.
- Promoting local development opportunities, through engagement with local communities and industry.
Infrastructure and investment
- Recommending the required network infrastructure projects for the REZs.
- Working with parties such as the Consumer Trustee, AEMO, Transgrid, Network Operators, Distribution Network Service Providers, Councils and key community and industry groups to ensure the new network infrastructure to support the REZs is constructed most effectively. We will do this in a way that seeks to minimise impacts to and maximise opportunities for local communities, industries and workers.
- Investigating potential innovative network infrastructure solutions to optimise the performance of the REZs.
- Overseeing implementation of the REZ access framework, including tender processes for access that deliver benefits to generators and to the communities where the REZs are located.