Construction on Australia’s first officially declared Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) will begin in the coming months, marking a major step toward modernising the nation’s electricity grid and accelerating the transition to clean energy.
The Central-West Orana REZ transmission project has reached financial close and been awarded to ACEREZ—a consortium formed by ACCIONA, COBRA, and Endeavour Energy. The group will design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the infrastructure for the next 35 years.
The project will deliver 4.5 gigawatts of new transmission capacity by 2028, connecting up to 7.7 gigawatts of solar, wind, and storage projects—enough to power more than 2 million homes annually.
At peak construction, the project is expected to support over 5,000 jobs and attract $20 billion in private investment to the Central-West Orana region by 2030, providing a significant economic boost.
This is Australia’s first competitively sourced REZ transmission project and follows a thorough procurement process regulated by the Australian Energy Regulator. The tailored procurement model encourages early delivery and cost efficiency, helping protect long-term consumer interests.
Preliminary works began in February 2025, and full construction is scheduled to start mid-year.
A total of $128 million will be invested into local communities within the REZ, including grants for councils, First Nations groups, and community projects. The first round of grant recipients will be announced shortly.