Hydro Tasmania welcomes the draft Integrated System Plan (ISP) released today confirming the need for urgent delivery of new energy infrastructure, including the Marinus Link interconnector to further connect Tasmania to Victoria.

Hydro Tasmania CEO Ian Brooksbank said the ISP from Australia’s Energy Market Operator (AEMO) clearly called out that as coal generation exits at a rapid pace, the lowest cost way to supply electricity is renewable energy, connected by transmission and firmed with storage.

“AEMO predicts the need for a four-fold increase in firming capacity to smooth the variability of increasing amounts of variable generation.

“Pumped hydro and hydropower will be a critical part of that, and Tasmania can play that firming role.”

Battery of the Nation and Marinus Link are fundamental to meeting Tasmania’s growing demand for clean energy and will play an important role in Australia’s decarbonisation and ensuring reliable supply.

“These critical projects must progress. It’s great to see AEMO recognising the role Marinus Link will play in unlocking the cost-effective clean energy and long-duration storage Tasmania can provide,” Mr Brooksbank said.

“We need new renewable generation, long-duration storage and more interconnection and transmission to meet Tasmania’s and Australia’s future energy needs.”

Redeveloping the iconic Tarraleah hydropower scheme and developing pumped hydro at Lake Cethana are the flagship projects for Battery of the Nation.

“These projects will deliver local jobs, economic growth, more clean energy and energy security for our state,” Mr Brooksbank said.

“They will help put downward pressure on energy prices and provide reliability to a national electricity market that will be increasingly dominated by wind and solar on the pathway to net zero by 2050.”

Projects for a clean energy future

Hydro Tasmania is looking to the next generation for the Tarraleah hydropower scheme which has delivered clean energy to Tasmania for 85 years.

“Our preferred redevelopment option is expected to deliver the greatest capacity, storage, flexibility and reliability for every dollar invested, while addressing environmental risks,” Mr Brooksbank said.

“Redeveloped, the Tarraleah scheme will deliver 30 per cent more energy from the same amount of water and increase its capacity by ~100MW, alongside creating 250 jobs during construction.”

Hydro Tasmania’s proposed pumped hydro project at Lake Cethana is one of the most cost-effective storage developments proposed in the market.

“High elevation of the proposed upper storage, short connection distance between the two storages, and close proximity to existing transmission and hydro infrastructure make Cethana highly cost-competitive,” Mr Brooksbank said.

The scheme will be able to provide about 20 hours of storage, up to ten times a typical battery storage system.

Hydro Tasmania is advancing business cases for both projects as it works towards Final Investment Decisions.