Our Energy Supply Plan, combined with recent rainfall is ensuring energy security for Tasmania.
Over the past two weeks there has been significant rainfall around Tasmania and dam storages are now at 20 per cent, a 3.9 per cent increase since last Monday.
The strong inflows means that Hydro Tasmania has been able to begin the process of rebuilding storages from 12.8 per cent at the end of last month, to 20 per cent today.
While there is no doubt we have turned the corner on this issue over recent weeks, there continues to be a lot of work to do in managing ongoing challenges. We need to continue the effort to rebuild our dam storages and we need to continue to ensure energy security in the context of the ongoing outage of the Basslink cable. This is not a time for complacency. It is a time to stay focussed and to stay the course on the Energy Supply Plan and that is what the Government is doing.
Hydro Tasmania is focussed on using the generation available as effectively as possible to take the pressure off our major storages. We are already seeing the benefits of this. Water in storage at Lake Gordon is 9.4 per cent, an increase of 1.7 per cent over the past week. Water in storage at Great Lake has increased from 12.6 per cent to 13.9 per cent over the past week.
Basslink continues to advise that the return to service date of the cable is mid-June. However, there continues to be a risk of further delay as a consequence of adverse weather conditions. Again, this is why the Energy Security Supply Plan continues to be so important.
Hydro Tasmania and the Government will continue to provide regular updates on the Energy Supply Plan. Tasmanians can be assured we will do everything necessary to maintain energy security and that the Plan is working.