New England REZ start date delayed by two years, Efficacy Advisors and New England Visions 2030 Institute react

Keeping the REZ offline for a further two years could mean delay for a number of projects that are ready to go, Tamworth-based clean energy transition leader Llewellyn Owens told the Leader.

It could also mean risk for the state, he said, considering coal power stations are due to come offline, and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has stressed it is critical to fill those gaps.

NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe announced the REZ would not come online before 2029, two years behind its initial 2027 start date.

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Costs and timeframes had grown since the project was proposed in 2020, Ms Sharpe said while briefing journalists about Labor's network infrastructure strategy.

The renewable energy road map drawn up by the previous government has been made difficult by the "addiction to privatisation" and timeframes that didn't include community consultation, she said.

The estimated total cost under $10 billion is "not a small amount of money", she said, and she is concerned by the increase since previous estimations in 2020.

Any delay could risk potential for blackout events, Efficacy Advisors renewable project developer Joel Gribble said.

Challenges to getting the REZ online could include procurement of transmission infrastructure, he said.

"You're talking about a large amount of transmission infrastructure, well, everyone around the world is doing the same thing," he said.

New England Visions 2030 Institute convener Maria Hitchcock is leading a push for training locals in renewables in the region, and she said staying offline could delay training opportunities.

She called for more clarity on the decision.

"I really think we need to find out what's at the bottom of this," she said.

The New England has potential to be one of the largest REZs in the National Electricity Market, AEMO Integrated System Plan 2022 modelling suggests.

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