Study into increasing Tasmanian hydropower

• 7 years ago (2017-04-21)
• David Flin

Australasia 51 Hydropower 111

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Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s Prime Minister, has said that Hydro Tasmania will work with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) to study how to increase energy output from Tasmania’s existing hydropower system. Arena is also considering an application from Hydro Tasmania to develop 13 potential new pumped-storage hydropower projects. Hydro Tasmania said that the new pumped-storage hydropower schemes could have a total combined installed capacity of up to 2500 MW.

Arena will commit $1.9 million for a feasibility study to add four pumped-storage facilities: Mersey Forth 1, Mersey Forth 2, Great Lake, and Lake Burbury. Each would have a total installed capacity of 500-700 MW. The proposed new facilities would be within the existing eight-project Mersey Forth scheme. The study will also investigate nine smaller sites totalling 500 MW, replacing the 90 MW Tarraleah pumped-storage hydropower scheme in the Central Highlands, and enhancing the 450 MW Gordon Power Station.