A $500 million redevelopment of the Tarraleah Power Station could double the site’s energy capacity and create hundreds of jobs during construction.
Built in the 1930s, the site is one of Tasmania’s oldest hydro schemes and Hydro Tasmania is currently assessing a number of options to future-proof the site.
A joint funding agreement of $5 million between Hydro Tasmania and ARENA will support a feasibility assessment into the redevelopment of the Tarraleah power station.
The Power Station is a critical part of the state’s hydropower system and we need to ensure it meets the future needs of the electricity market.
A redevelopment would more than double the scheme’s capacity from 104 megawatts to 220 megawatts.
This takes our heritage hydro assets and propels them into the next generation which is in line with the Battery of the Nation – pumped hydro development opportunities for our state.
Feasibility work into the site is expected to take 18 months. The redevelopment of the Tarraleah power station could take three years and cost up to $500 million.
This will deliver significant economic opportunity and create hundreds of engineering and construction jobs in the Derwent Valley and Southern Tasmania.
The redevelopment of Tarraleah further supports the need for increased interconnection with the mainland.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to its target of achieving the lowest regulated electricity prices in the country by 2022, and to make Tasmanian energy self-sufficient in the same timeframe.
We know that by investing in projects like Tarraleah, we can achieve our ambitious targets and cement our status as the renewable energy powerhouse of the nation.