The government of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia has granted planning approval for upgrades in existing power grid infrastructures, that will enable 1 GW of network transfer capacity as of 2028, following planning approval for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) project. It stretches from the Upper Hunter to the Central Coast in the south and includes the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens regions. This planning approval is expected to help create a large renewable energy system in the coal-heavy region and help raise the share of renewables in NSW's electricity (around 36% currently).
The renewable energy zones are part of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, as the state is seeking to systematically transition from coal-fired power generation to renewable electricity. So far, NSW has identified five REZs, namely the Hunter-Central Coast, Central West Orana, South-West, New England, and Illawarra REZs, which will help ensure reliable electricity supply while retiring coal-fired power plants.