Explainer: EnergyCo projects in the Hunter and Central Coast regions
The Hunter and Central Coast regions have always been a crucial part of the NSW energy system and are home to the lion’s share of the State’s coal-fired power plants.
These power stations are now retiring as we move towards a grid powered by renewables. As this happens, the two regions will continue to be a hub for moving electricity around the State’s grid through new and existing network infrastructure.
Looking to the future, the Central-West Orana and New England Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) will generate a large proportion of NSW’s electricity when they power up later this decade, but the Hunter and Central Coast will continue to play an outsized role in how we keep the lights on.
Major new energy projects in the Hunter and Central Coast
EnergyCo is coordinating the delivery of REZs and transmission projects across the State to deliver clean, reliable and affordable electricity for the people of NSW.
4 of EnergyCo’s 7 projects are located in, or connect to, the Hunter and Central Coast regions. This makes these regions critical for the State’s energy transition, which makes sense given their history of hosting power infrastructure.
In November, EnergyCo made its most recent announcement about one of these critical projects, putting the preliminary corridor for the Hunter Transmission Project (HTP) on exhibition for public feedback.
This makes for a timely opportunity to explain what these projects are, when they’ll come online, and how they fit together.
(Note: Each of these projects has short, medium and long-term delivery options, respectively titled ‘Deliver Now’, ‘Secure now’, and ‘Plan for the Future’ time horizons as per EnergyCo’s Network Infrastructure Strategy, which you can read about here.)
4 of EnergyCo’s 7 projects are located in, or connect to, the Hunter and Central Coast regions.
Waratah Super Battery Project
The Waratah Super Battery (WSB) Project is the first PTIP being delivered under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 (EII Act). The former Minister for Planning declared the development of the WSB on the site of the former Munmorah coal-fired power plant as Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI), in recognition of the critical nature of the project to NSW’s energy security. The WSB Project will function as a network standby battery and 'shock absorber' for the energy system in the event of power surges.
The WSB project provides a virtual transmission solution that unlocks latent capacity in the existing transmission system, allowing electricity consumers in the Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra demand centres to access more energy from existing generators.
The WSB is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by August 2025.
Hunter-Central Coast REZ
The Hunter-Central Coast REZ is proposed to initially establish an additional 1 GW of new network capacity in the region. The initial focus, called 'Deliver Now' works, are expected to happen in the Upper Hunter area and may involve improving the existing network.
The Australian Government recently declared an offshore wind zone off the coast of the Hunter region.
Hunter Transmission Project
The HTP will consist of a new above-ground 500kV transmission line of around 115 kilometres between Bayswater in the Upper Hunter and Eraring in the Lower Hunter, to connect the State’s existing 500 kV transmission lines. Both the NSW Government and Australian Government recognise the strategic importance of the HTP.
The HTP will unlock the electricity supply from the Central-West Orana and New England REZs and allow it to be imported to the new electricity grid via Bayswater.
From here it will be delivered to consumers in the Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra where 80% of electricity is consumed.
New England REZ Transmission Project
The New England REZ Transmission Project is a new 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line that will connect the New England REZ to the rest of the grid, passing through the Upper Hunter. When complete, it will add 6 GW of network capacity to move clean energy from the NE REZ through the Upper Hunter.
Other initiatives
The Hunter and Central Coast regions connect to global markets through the Port of Newcastle and airport, and are Australia's largest regional economy. With a State GDP of $60 billion, they are a substantial driver of growth and prosperity in NSW.
EnergyCo is also coordinating and collaborating with other NSW Government agencies and industry to ensure that the regions – and the State – can deliver the transition in a way that benefits everyone. This includes agreements with:
- NSW Department of Planning and Environment
- to establish dedicated resources to manage the assessment of major energy projects in NSW (REZs) and EnergyCo-led projects
- Port of Newcastle
- to identify opportunities to support renewable energy industries in NSW
- Transport for NSW
- to facilitate the rollout of Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) with road improvements
Follow the EnergyCo journey
NSW’s energy transition is just getting started. Whether you’re in the Hunter or Central Coast, elsewhere in the State or just interested in the energy transition in NSW, you can sign up to receive updates from EnergyCo here, or follow us on LinkedIn here.