First transmission tower finally goes up in NSW’s first renewable energy zone

The first transmission tower in the Central-West Orana renewable energy zone (CWO REZ) is now up, marking what the manager of the project is calling a “landmark moment”.

The 70-metre, 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission tower was pre-assembled on the ground in 19 sections and lifted into place by crane.  The tower uses 2,862 steel components and 6,252 bolts.

The transmission backbone for the REZ is being built by AceRez, a consortium made up of Spanish companies Acciona and Grupo Cobra, and local network operator Endeavour Energy.

Video: Supplied – EnergyCo

While Australia is used to seeing and erecting transmission towers of this size, it marks a first for New South Wales (NSW) which is leading the say in renewable energy zone development. 

The new transmission network in the CWO REZ will open up new network capacity of at least 4.5 gigawatts (GW) by 2028, and connect 7.7 GW of wind and solar projects.

It’s also the first REZ being built that needs a completely new grid built to get that electricity out – the smaller Hunter REZ is working with upgraded existing infrastructure. 

EnergyCo chief Hannah McCaughey says the first erection reflects years of planning and collaboration with landholders and ACEREZ, among others, which won the contract for building the transmission infrastructure in the REZ. 

But the project hasn’t been without problems. 

In August last year, the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) revenue determination showed the budget to build has ballooned, from the original estimate of $650 million to $5.5 billion.

And transmission is becoming a fraught issue particularly in NSW where last year an ombudsman said lack of community trust was characterising the rollout.

The antidote is to fix unsatisfactory community engagement practices, improve responses to complaints and concern, and improve transparency and information on proposed works.

ACEREZ and EnergyCo say in the CWO REZ, they’re also spending $128 million in community and employment benefit program grants, with some $72 million awarded to 75 projects already in housing, water infrastructure, skills training centres and sporting facilities.

The REZ itself is also expected to attract up to $25 billion in private investment, the proponent says, and is forecast to support 1,850 direct jobs in the local area during construction and about 930 ongoing operational jobs.

More than 110 local businesses are already working on the project, with more than a third of the workforce drawn from the region, they say.

More funding will flow over the coming decades through fees paid by energy generators that connect to the REZ network infrastructure.

The recently announced ACEREZ Community Grants Program will also award up to $4 million to community initiatives across the Central-West Orana REZ this year.

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