• Impact: The new infrastructure represents AU$10 billion (€6.2 billion) of investment and will create 5,000 jobs during its construction

ACEREZ, a consortium formed by ACCIONA, Cobra and Endeavour Energy, has signed an agreement with EnergyCo — the government agency responsible for developing Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) in New South Wales — to become the preferred network operator that will design, finance, build and operate the electric power transmission network in the Central-West Orana REZ.

The new infrastructure, one of Australia’s largest green power grids, will bring significant economic benefits to the region, with AU$10 billion (€6.2 billion) of expected private investment through 2030 and the creation of 5,000 jobs during the construction phase.

Central-West Orana was the first REZ formed in Australia and covers an area of 20,000 square kilometres. It will initially entail the deployment of 4.5GW of grid capacity, which will grow to 6GW by 2038.

Earlier this month, ACCIONA and Genus were selected to build the Humelink East transmission line, also in New South Wales. The project involves the design and construction of 237 kilometers of overhead transmission lines and the upgrade of a 500kV substation, with a budget of AU$1.4 billion (€850 million).

ACCIONA has more than twenty years of experience in the financing, design and construction of transmission networks and electrical substations of different sizes, from low-voltage facilities to transmission lines and substations in Spain as well as in countries such as Kenya, Mexico and Peru.