‘No choice’ over renewable energy zones despite resistance

afr.com:

NSW has “no choice” but to build the new transmission lines needed to support renewable energy zones despite fierce pockets of resistance from local communities, says James Hay, head of the state company in charge of rolling out the controversial plans.

Mr Hay, chief executive of NSW’s EnergyCo, said the message being given to local landholders was around the absolute need for the infrastructure to be built to support up to 14 gigawatts of new clean-energy generation over the next decade and to allow the retirement of old coal power plants.

James Hay, CEO of NSW’s EnergyCo, says Renewable Energy Zones will help allow coal power plants to shut. Louie Douvis

“It’s not a popular thing to do, but it’s a very, very important thing to do,” Mr Hay said ahead of an expected finalisation of contracts for construction of the first REZ, the Central-West Orana zone near Dubbo.

“These options are not being pursued for random reasons, they are the best and most economic options that are being pursued… and that remains the case.”

The comments come as EnergyCo forges ahead on several work streams to pave the way for construction of the Central-West Orana (CWO) REZ to commence, including environmental approvals.

A public comment period on the 8000-page environmental impact statement for the CWO transmission project has been extended until November 8 amid huge interest from affected communities. A similar EIS process for the controversial Humelink transmission project planned in the state’s south, which is further ahead in the planning process, attracted 141 submissions, with more than 80 per cent of them objecting.

Mark Fogarty, a director of Bushtricity, which represents some communities affected by the projects, said many felt they