New England Renewable Energy Zone
Snapshot
The New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is set to be the largest of NSW’s Renewable Energy Zones by capacity and scale. Located in northern NSW around Armidale, it will connect new wind, solar, storage and pumped-hydro generation to the grid, helping replace retiring coal-fired power as a cornerstone of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.
Turnbull Engineering is working directly with the client, EnergyCo, across two successive contracts providing Site Management Services and the Principal Contractor role for the project’s early works.
Location
New England region, northern NSW (around Armidale)
Client
Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)
Turnbull’s role
Site Management Services & Principal Contractor (two successive contracts)
Scale
Up to 6 GW capacity; ~575 km of new transmission, substations and energy hubs
Turnbull’s Timeline
2025 – 2028
Status
In delivery; network operator procurement underway
Project Overview
EnergyCo, as infrastructure planner for the state’s renewable energy zones, is developing the New England REZ network - including new high-voltage transmission lines, substations and energy hubs to carry renewable power to homes and businesses. The network will connect generation across the New England region to the existing grid, with the transmission corridor refined to around one-kilometre-wide running south to Bayswater Power Station.
As NSW’s largest REZ, the project is expected to unlock up to 6 gigawatts of new renewable generation and storage and involves around 575 kilometres of new transmission line. EnergyCo is running a competitive procurement to appoint a network operator to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the network, with a preferred operator expected in 2027 and financial close anticipated in 2028.
Turnbull’s Involvement
EnergyCo has engaged Turnbull directly across two successive contracts on the New England REZ, providing site management and the Principal Contractor role through the project’s early works — ahead of the Network Operator’s engagement.
Initial contract (completed 2025)
Turnbull’s first engagement covered Site Management Services for the New England REZ, with a scope that also included the Principal Contractor role. This contract was completed in 2025.
Current contract (2025–2028)
Turnbull’s current contract includes Site Management Services for the New England REZ runs from August 2025 to December 2028. Turnbull coordinates and monitors site activities and continues to act as Principal Contractor, overseeing the contractors EnergyCo engages and making sure works are delivered safely, efficiently and in full compliance with WHS legislation, codes and EnergyCo’s policies and procedures.
Project Highlights
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Principal Contractor on NSW’s largest REZ
Turnbull was engaged directly by EnergyCo, the NSW Government body planning and delivering the state’s renewable energy zones, not as a subcontractor to a delivery consortium.
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Designing around live traffic
Across both contracts, Turnbull has held the Principal Contractor role, carrying on-the-ground responsibility for the safety and compliance of EnergyCo’s early site works ahead of the Network Operator’s engagement.
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Trusted partner on the ground
Our presence in the New England region, including a full-time presence at the Armidale office, enabled our team to act as a reliable point of contact and trusted representative of EnergyCo; supporting effective stakeholder communication, land access coordination, and incident response — building trust and reducing conflict risk with landowners and local communities.
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Going beyond the site management brief
Turnbull has added value beyond its core site management scope by supporting community engagement events, assisting the Property team with landowner meetings and access reporting, leading the rollout of EnergyCo's safety systems and providing administrative support including Armidale office management and fleet coordination.
By the numbers
6 GW
renewable capacity
~575 km
new transmission line
Largest
REZ in NSW
2025 → 2028
Turnbull contract term