It comes as ATCO Australia - the company behind the project - aims to finalise several design elements and prepares to submit an environmental impact statement (EIS) early this year.

ATCO Australia communications and engagement manager Kimbalee Clews said the community meeting - on Monday, February 13 - would be a chance for ATCO to provide information about the project and for people to ask questions.

"Given the project is still in the development stage, there are still some areas that have not yet been finalised, so we won't have all the answers just yet," she said.

"However, with the information we have available at this point in the development process, we will answer all questions we can and respond to any further issues or concerns within the community."

Ms Clews said ATCO Australia received the request for the community meeting from the O'Connell Valley Community Group.

The Friends of the Fish River, which has been formed in opposition to the pumped hydro project, and the O'Connell Valley Community Group are collecting questions from those who won't be able to attend or who do not feel confident in speaking at the meeting.

The Yetholme project - which would involve the construction of a reservoir at the top of Mount Tennyson and another in a nearby valley - received a $9.44 million recoverable grant from the NSW Government in September last year.

ATCO's managing director of global renewables Karen Nielsen said at the time that the company was "thrilled that the NSW Government has recognised our Central West Pumped Hydro Project as a key asset to underpin the state's future energy security".

The project, though, has failed to win the support of the Bathurst Community Climate Action Network, while MP and Deputy Premier Paul Toole has said he will be making sure community concerns about the proposal are heard.

A common criticism of the project is that it will take an unsustainable amount of water from the Fish River, though a pumped hydro expert provided the opposite view when contacted by the Western Advocate last year.

In terms of whether there had been any developments with the project recently, Ms Clews said the EIS "has been a key priority for the project team over the past year".

"Other priorities include finalising the project design and engineering methodology, and ongoing engagement with the community," she said.

"The delivery of the 2023 Communities Fund has also been a key focus, with five local community groups successful in applying for funding grants to support healthy, sustainable and prosperous community programs to be delivered throughout this year in the local area.

"The recipients for the Communities Fund Grants will be announced next month."

In terms of when the EIS (which will be placed on public exhibition and which, ATCO Australia has previously said, will answer many questions about the project) will be submitted, Ms Clews said the company is aiming for early 2023.

She said the timing of the submission is "dependent on the finalisation of several design elements".

The community meeting will be held on Monday, February 13 from 7pm at the O'Connell RFS Shed.

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