The management of Tasmania’s energy security is, under the Liberals, once again under threat.
Minister Guy Barnett announced that negotiations and mediation attempts have failed and Hydro Tasmania will take further legal action against a financially troubled holder of a critical piece of Tasmania’s energy security framework.
“In 2016, we saw the risks to our state exposed by not having the cable available, plunging the state into an energy crisis under the Liberals,” Mr Winter said.
“The risk created by the financial position of the Basslink operator are obvious and so the decision to recommence legal action against Keppel needs to be further explained.
“Labor will be seeking a thorough explanation through the Parliament and upcoming Hydro Tasmania scrutiny hearing.”
Mr Winter said energy security concerns do not end there.
“The operator of Tasmania’s gas pipeline has raised concern about the threat to Tasmania’s energy security, resulting from the position Hydro Tasmania is taking to replace the current Gas Transportation Agreement on the Tasmanian Gas Pipeline that expires on 31 December this year,” Mr Winter said.
“It has genuine concerns that Liberal Government will effectively decommission the Tamar Valley Power Station Combined Cycle Gas Turbine.
“We have been here before under the Liberals and it ended in an energy crisis.
“Why would the government choose to mothball a critical piece of Tasmania’s energy security when there is uncertainty about Basslink’s future?”
The ongoing availability of the CCGT was identified as critical to Tamania’s energy security by the Government’s own expert taskforce in 2016, when it said:
“…the Taskforce considers that its Interim Report recommendation that “the TVPS, particularly the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT), should be retained at least until there is a reliable alternative in place to mitigate against hydrological and Basslink failure risk” (recommendation 24) remains appropriate.”
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Minister for Energy
