Network operator

Call for registrations of interest

17 March 2025

EnergyCo has commenced the competitive procurement process to appoint a network operator to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain new transmission infrastructure in the New England REZ. The network operator will work in partnership with EnergyCo to deliver the network infrastructure project.

In March 2025 EnergyCo released a call for registrations of interest to invite interested parties to submit a registration to participate further in the network operator procurement process.  

Following the registrations of interest process, potential delivery partners can submit an expression of interest and will be invited to participate in the request for proposal stage for the network operator package.

The procurement process will be carried out in parallel with our ongoing work with landowners and the community, as well as our environmental investigations, as we continue to refine the REZ network infrastructure project.

We are holding an industry briefing on Thursday 27 March for industry to find out more about the network operator package. If you are an interested party please contact our team to register by 5pm on Monday 24 March.

Read EnergyCo’s media release about the commencement of the network operator procurement process.
 

Network operator indicative procurement timeline

The indicative procurement timeline for the network operator package up to release of the Request for Proposal (RFP) is set out below.

• Call for Registrations of Interest release – March 2025
• Industry briefing – March 2025
• Invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) release – May 2025
• RFP release – October 2025

Ongoing collaboration with the market

Consistent with the NSW Government Principles for Partnership with the Construction Industry, EnergyCo is committed to collaborating with the market to achieve greater certainty, increased productivity, sustainable risk allocations and overall value-for-money outcomes. 

Throughout the network operator procurement process, EnergyCo will incorporate structured interactive processes during the EOI and RFP stages to ensure that: 

• EnergyCo can test and receive feedback from market participants to inform RFP development
• market participants can test ideas and receive feedback, to aid the development of high-quality and well-considered EOIs and proposals.

EnergyCo welcomes market interest in the project. In the interim, keep up to date with the project via EnergyCo’s website at energyco.nsw.gov.au/ne