EnergyCo seeks new CEO after James Hay decides on shift to government

EnergyCo, the authority charged with the rollout of the NSW government’s renewable energy zones and its infrastructure, is seeking a new CEO after a decision by James Hay to step aside for personal reasons.

Hay will leave the role he has held for five years on Friday and be replaced on an interim basis by Hannah McCaughey as the EnergyCo board seeks a long term replacement.

In a statement, EnergyCo chair Paul Binsted said Hay had been integral to establishing the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and “taking EnergyCo from a newly established agency to an enduring statutory body with more than 200 employees across multiple NSW offices.”

The roadmap, first developed under the previous Coalition state government, lays out the path to replace the state’s ageing fleet of coal fired generators, and requires at least 12 GW of new wind, solar and storage capacity to be built – much of it located within five newly created renewable energy zones.

The roadmap includes the creation of the REZs and the building of critical infrastructure such as transmission lines and key assets such as the Waratah Super Battery, pictured above.

“I extend my sincere thanks to James Hay for his dedicated service to the people of NSW as the Chief Executive Officer of EnergyCo, particularly for his leadership in developing the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap which will continue to shape the work in this critical sector for years to come,” NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe said in a statement.

Hay will take up a new position in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water as deputy secretary, leading a critical project working on regulation of access between energy transmission networks.