Hydro Tasmania welcomes the evidence-based approach taken by the Tasmanian Energy Security Taskforce.

The company has provided a submission to support the Taskforce’s deliberations into the 2015/16 energy supply challenge and Tasmania’s future energy mix.

Hydro Tasmania’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Davy, said the energy supply challenge was an unprecedented and extremely rare event.

“It took a huge effort to respond and protect the Tasmanian economy. In the end, the response and efforts of our people were very successful,” Mr Davy said.

“The energy supply challenge has clearly uncovered new evidence about the capacity for Tasmania to experience extremely dry spring and summer weather, as well as the length of time the Basslink cable can be out-of-action. In 2015/16, those coinciding events were more extreme than anyone had previously considered credible.

“While the Taskforce considers that new evidence, Hydro Tasmania is applying additional conservatism to storage management. We’re also taking interim steps to further enhance our climate modelling and planning assumptions.

“Overreacting to the extremely rare events of 2015/16 could be very expensive for Tasmanians.

“That’s why the Energy Security Taskforce’s considered and evidence-based approach is welcome and very important,” he said.

Ends.

Released for Hydro Tasmania by Rowan Dix, (03) 62305330 / 0409 722359 / media@hydro.com.au.