The NSW government is powering ahead with its first pilot Renewal Energy Zone (REZ) in the Central-West Orana region around Dubbo and Wellington, stretching to Cassilis in the east.

The REZ is expected to be shovel-ready by the end of 2022 and unlock up to 3,000 megawatts (MW) of new electricity capacity - enough capacity to power around 1.4 million homes.

As part of the project, the NSW government has been working with TransGrid to design and develop a new shared transmission infrastructure which will link generators in the Central-West Orana REZ to the existing electricity network.

The project, called the Central-West Orana REZ Transmission, is in the planning stages but the NSW government has already identified a study corridor which is 180 kilometres long and between three to six kilometres wide.

If approved, TransGrid will build two high voltage 500KV powerlines - an electricity superhighway - through productive farmland which runs from Merriwa, north-west to Cassilis and then south of Dunedoo towards Wellington.

The government says the project is still in its planning stages and feedback will allow the transmission infrastructure to be built in a way that minimises impacts to the region, however landholders say the project will significantly impact them and want its location moved altogether.

They have established the Merriwa Cassilis Alliance (MCA), a representative group of landholders whose property is impacted by the proposal.

The group have indicated to TransGrid that they do not want the transmission lines located within, or impacting upon, any private property or strategic agricultural land, such as that located within the Merriwa Plateau.

The group's president Peter Campbell said that while they are against the proposed route, they wish to work with the state government and TransGrid to arrive at a new and improved corridor that would minimise any impact on local agricultural production.

"We did not ask for a transmission line to be located within our highly productive farming land, however, understand the state government has declared the project critical state infrastructure," he said.

The group have started an online petition which, as of Wednesday afternoon, has already gained over 1500 signatures and is growing every day. They have also launched a Facebook page, to keep the community updated.

Something else they have also made clear is that they do not oppose the goal of delivering renewable energy, they oppose the location of the study corridor.

Through MCA's discussions with TransGrid, they have agreed to establish a Working Group which will review alternative routes and explore options to locate the route to minimize/avoid impact on private land and locate the route within public lands.