Tasmania’s rich hydropower history puts our state in a great place to support the rapidly changing electricity market. Our state can provide cost-effective, dispatchable, highly flexible renewable energy, backed by long duration hydropower storage capacity.

The new 1500MW Marinus Link interconnector is a critical enabler of Battery of the Nation, Hydro Tasmania’s bold vision to maximise Tasmania’s hydropower capacity and add pumped hydro.

Together, Battery of the Nation and Marinus Link can support the nation’s transition to a clean energy future and deliver significant benefits to the state – giving Tasmanians access to the lowest possible power prices, creating jobs, locking in energy security and bringing economic benefits to Tasmania.  

Acting Chief Executive Officer Ian Brooksbank said that the first 750MW Marinus Link cable will unlock flexibility in our existing hydropower portfolio to provide firming products to support a transitioning market. It also opens up potential for capacity upgrades in the existing asset fleet including the Tarraleah hydropower scheme.

“The second cable creates the opportunity for us to develop our first Tasmanian pumped hydro project which is a 750MW, 20-hour deep storage opportunity at Lake Cethana. Cethana can provide the cost competitive deep storage that will be required for reliable electricity supplies into the future with greater penetrations of variable renewable energy in the grid.”

Ends.

Released for Hydro Tasmania by Lyn Southon / 0409 722 359/ media@hydro.com.au