The New South Wales (NSW) Government in Australia has announced that four major renewable energy projects have secured connection rights to power infrastructure in the South West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). The move marks a key step in the state’s transition to a decentralised, low-emissions electricity system.
These projects, comprising wind, solar, and battery storage, have been granted access rights by NSW government agency EnergyCo, facilitating a combined generation capacity of 3.56GW. Combined, these projects are expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 1.6 million homes annually.
The allocation of these access rights emerged from a competitive tender process managed by AEMO Services. The awarded projects include Origin Energy’s Yanco Delta wind farm (1,460 MW), Spark Renewables’ Dinawan Energy Hub (1,007MW), Someva’s Pottinger Energy Park (831.2MW), and BayWA’s Bullawah Wind Farm (262.3MW).
Together, the projects include over 700MW of battery storage, which will play a key role in maintaining grid reliability and flexibility as ageing coal-fired generation retires from the system.
EnergyCo chief executive Hannah McCaughey: “We had strong interest from industry in the South West Renewable Energy Zone access rights tender. The access scheme will also ensure we make the best use of new power lines, to put downward pressure on energy bills for everyone in NSW.
“The first projects are expected to come online from 2027 to 2030, which will help keep the lights on and secure our energy future.”
The South West REZ is strategically located around Hay, encompassing towns such as Balranald and Buronga. This location was selected due to its rich wind and solar resources, compatibility with existing and planned high voltage transmission infrastructure, and alignment with land-use priorities. The zone is expected to support over 2,000 construction jobs at its peak, contributing to local economic growth.
