New Priority Designations and Planning Powers for Energy Projects
Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
energy projects infrastructure development land use public benefit renewable energy urban planning
Introduced by: The Hon Paul Scully MP (ALP); The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Jacqui Munro LIB
“The foundation for the New South Wales energy transition was not built on political slogans; it was written into law by the Coalition. In November 2020, the Berejiklian Government unveiled the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, and one month later the Coalition Government passed the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020.”
Abigail Boyd GRN
“The Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026 grants the New South Wales energy Minister new powers to hand-pick the most critical generation, storage and network projects in the planning pipeline for streamlined approval.”
Mark Banasiak SFFP
“I contribute to debate on the Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026. The bill is not energy policy; it is a legislative crowbar. It is the Minns Labor Government smashing open the planning system so that its agencies and favoured renewable energy corporations can bulldoze through rural New South Wales faster, harder and with less accountability than ever before.”
Rachel Merton LIB
“I oppose the Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026. I recognise the speed with which the Government wants to realise the renewable energy transition. I reflect also on an earlier discussion today relating to renewables during the discussion about the matter of public importance. It gave us time to examine the botched rollout of renewable energy.”
News articles and press releases
Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026
Mr PAUL SCULLY, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces — 2026-05-06
The bill does two things. Firstly, through the Minister for Energy, a framework for identifying priority energy projects [PEPs] will be created. The bill amends the Electricity Supply Act to empower the Minister for Energy to declare certain projects, or classes of projects, as priority energy projects. These projects will be those considered most critical to the State’s energy transition and to maintaining a stable, affordable and modern energy grid for the people of New South Wales. The legislation also allows the Minister to establish criteria against which projects may be assessed and declared as priority energy projects by an appointed person. For example, those criteria may consider the strategic importance of a project to the electricity system, its readiness to proceed, its ability to connect to the network and the quality of engagement undertaken with host communities.