EnergyCo hosts REZ information session for residents at Dungowan

"That was the drop of the bombshell," she said.

"We were completely blindsided and had no idea it was happening till then. I was aware of the New England REZ, but I was not aware about where the transmission lines were going."

After the letter arrived in her mailbox, Ms Leckie wanted to learn more about the project.

She was among community landholders and residents to attend the REZ information sessions held at Dungowan Memorial Hall on Tuesday, June 27.

The aim of the session was to allow EnergyCo to inform the local community about preliminary placement of transmission lines study corridors, energy hubs, and engage in community feedback.

EnergyCo recently hosted similar sessions in Armidale, Uralla, and Walcha.

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The proposed zone in New England will be just one kilometre wide, likely housing solar and wind farms as well as battery storage.

The New England zone covers almost 15,500 square kilometres with a network capacity of 2.4 gigawatts.

Dozens of farmers and residents huddled over basic maps and diagrams to decipher whether or not the transmission lines and easements would touch their properties.

Mrs Leckie said she and her family relocated from Sydney to Dungowan 11 years ago.

If the preliminary route is approved, she said, the transmission lines would cover her property.

"There is two transmission lines, it's not just one set of power lines, the widths with their easement would be 250 metres wide at least and our property is 500 metre wide," Mrs Leckie said.

"Potentially, once the finalised route is determined, if it's on our property or elsewhere, it could be half of our property."

The project is in the early stages of assessing the network infrastructure, but if it proceeds, some of the infrastructure, including easements, would need to be built outside of the REZ geographical area.

Dungowan farmer Jacqui Gidley-Baird said the entire project has been poorly communicated to the community.

"We're not sure these information sessions are going to give us any more information," she said.

"Unfortunately, what we're finding out from talking amongst the local community is that it's [the REZ] has been badly communicated to the local landholders.

"Many are finding out about the project through neighbours or Facebook. I suppose a lot of people are feeling disempowered because they haven't been given the power to decide what happens on their own land and there has been a lack of community engagement "

NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe recently announced the zone would be delayed by two years.

Mrs Gidley-Baird said she is quite stressed about the project.

"It will traverse through my property, which we have invested the last 15 years of our life into, and that's my children's future," she said.

"Very disappointed and very disengaged, as what was our family investment is going to be developed and not recognised by the government."

The five zones proposed are key to the government's plan to transition NSW from a reliance on fossil fuels to renewable forms of energy.

New England federal representative Barnaby Joyce said the placement of the easement and transmission lines was making individuals feel powerless.

"This is tick and flick, they're saying we're gonna have a consultation process," he said.

"But are they are really gonna do something dynamic, like using the easement we've already got, to use the powerline we've already got.

"They're gonna put through one-kilometre long area. This is ultimately a state government organisation, so the state government has the power to come onto our land."

A spokesperson for EnergyCo was unavailable for comment.

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