The north hub for the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) will be relocated from private farms to company-owned land near Armidale, following community feedback during early planning.
EnergyCo and Origin Energy have confirmed the hub, which acts as a substation to collect and transmit renewable electricity, will now be built on ‘Warrane’, land already owned by Origin and also the site of the proposed Northern Tablelands Wind Farm.
The decision to move the hub comes after engagement with affected landowners, especially those around Boorolong, and aims to reduce potential construction impacts on private property, farming operations and sensitive areas.
“EnergyCo is committed to working closely with landowners and communities to find solutions and this outcome is a great example of community-led feedback helping to design the project,” said Julian Watson, Deputy Project Director for the New England REZ.
The relocated site avoids the need to build the hub on privately owned agricultural land and allows more of the connecting infrastructure to be placed on land already planned for renewable energy use. This approach is consistent with the NSW Government’s Transmission Guideline and EnergyCo’s planning principles, as both favour sites with fewer environmental and access concerns.
Co-locating the hub with the wind farm also brings planning efficiencies and may lessen the total number of landowners affected by power line routes. Further engagement will continue in the coming months as EnergyCo refines the preferred corridor for these lines.
“Origin is delighted to have worked successfully with these groups to identify a solution that will help reduce the impacts of electrical connection and transmission infrastructure on landowners and the local community,” said Greg Jarvis, Origin’s Executive General Manager of Energy Supply & Operations.
The New England REZ, centred around Armidale, is one of five across NSW and has been identified for its strong wind and solar potential. The region is well placed to support large-scale energy projects due to its natural resources and proximity to the existing transmission network.
Julian Watson said the relocation reflects EnergyCo’s approach to working with those directly affected:
“We need to get the balance right by considering landowner and community feedback along with our technical and environmental expertise when designing a project of this size and scale.”
EnergyCo said the collaboration with Origin marks the start of longer-term cooperation, with both organisations aiming to deliver renewable infrastructure in a way that works for the local community.
