Uralla Shire Council has welcomed the proposed New England Renewable Energy Zone Access Scheme, while calling for stronger coordination, greater transparency and a formal role for local government in managing the cumulative impacts of renewable energy development across the region.
Council’s submission to EnergyCo on the draft New England REZ Access Scheme Declaration supports the principle of managing network access through an access rights regime, saying it will provide greater certainty for communities, developers and infrastructure planners. The New England REZ is centred around Uralla and is expected to unlock up to 8 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, supported by major new transmission infrastructure and private sector investment.
Mayor Robert Bell said council supported the transition to renewable energy and recognised the significant economic opportunities associated with the REZ, but that communities must not be left to carry the burden of unmanaged growth.
“Uralla Shire Council recognises the importance of the New England Renewable Energy Zone to New South Wales’ energy future and supports a coordinated approach to connecting renewable energy projects to the grid,” Mayor Bell said.
“However, the success of the REZ will ultimately depend on how well its impacts are managed on the ground. Local councils and communities are dealing with the real-world consequences of this development, from increased traffic and road wear to housing, workforce and service pressures.”
Council’s submission highlights the need for EnergyCo to use the proposed Access Scheme to better sequence projects and avoid multiple major construction programs occurring at the same time in the same area.
“We are seeing unprecedented levels of renewable energy investment proposed across the region. Without effective coordination, the cumulative impacts on roads, accommodation, water services, healthcare and local workforces could become overwhelming,” Mayor Bell said.
“Where possible, project timing should be coordinated to reduce pressure on local infrastructure and ensure communities can absorb growth in a sustainable way.”
Council also called for greater transparency around the overall scale of development proposed within the REZ, and clearer communication with host communities about what the Aggregate Maximum Capacity Cap means in practical terms.
“People want to understand what this development will look like in their landscape. They want certainty about the number of projects, the associated infrastructure and the long-term character of the region,” Mayor Bell said.
“Transparent information sharing is essential to maintaining community confidence and ensuring people can meaningfully participate in decision-making.”
The submission recommends that affected councils be formally consulted during the assessment of applications for access rights and access consents, given councils’ responsibilities for local infrastructure, emergency management, service delivery and community wellbeing.
“Local government has a unique understanding of local conditions and cumulative impacts. Councils should be recognised as genuine delivery partners in the REZ process, not simply stakeholders,” Mayor Bell said.
Council also reiterated that the costs associated with facilitating and managing large-scale renewable energy development should not fall unfairly on local ratepayers.
“The transition to renewable energy should deliver lasting benefits to host communities, but it should not leave smaller rural councils carrying unfunded costs,” Mayor Bell said. “Ratepayers should not be financially worse off because major energy developments are occurring in their region.”
Council’s submission supports the continuation of EnergyCo’s Community and Employment Benefit Program and calls for local priorities, including those identified through council’s Renewable Energy Strategic Action Plan, to help shape future investment in host communities.
While supporting the draft Access Scheme overall, council has urged EnergyCo to strengthen local government involvement in access allocation, project sequencing, cumulative impact management and community benefit governance.
“This Access Scheme has the potential to become one of the most important tools available for coordinating renewable energy development and ensuring the benefits of the REZ are shared fairly across our communities,” Mayor Bell said.
EnergyCo is also seeking further feedback on a proposed amendment to the REZ declaration itself, this time to spell out in detail the network infrastructure involved, including the energy hubs and transmission lines that extend outside the REZ’s geographical boundary to connect it to the existing grid at Bayswater. EnergyCo said the change was intended to ensure the declaration reflects its current planning for the New England REZ Network Infrastructure Project before the New England REZ Access Scheme is declared later this year.
The amendment will not change any features of the REZ, such as its geographical boundary or network capacity, or the New England REZ Network Infrastructure Project as set out in the New England REZ Scoping Report. The zone remains legislated under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020, with an intended network capacity of 8 gigawatts.
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