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IRIS Tasmania  >  Infrastructure  >  Energy

Energy

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Maps – Energy

power linesElectricity infrastructure in Tasmania is a significant sector for the economy and vital to all business activity. There are currently three publicly owned entities:

  • Hydro Tasmania: generation (Government business enterprise)
  • Transend: transmission (State-owned company)
  • Aurora: distribution / retail (State-owned company).

The provision of electrical energy to Tasmanian users is expected to be dominated by hydro generation for the foreseeable future.

Most of Tasmania's electricity is generated using hydro-electric generators. Tasmania also has Australia's largest wind farm, Woolnorth, in the far north-west.

Tasmania formally joined the National Electricity Market (NEM) in May 2005, in preparation for the completion of the Basslink high voltage undersea cable between Tasmania and Victoria, completed in April 2006. Basslink enables electricity to be exported during peak demand periods on the mainland and electricity to be imported in off-peak periods or to supplement on-island generation if necessary.

Entry to the NEM is an important aspect of energy reform as it provides a modern regulatory governance framework for future electricity needs in Tasmania, while enabling competition and choice for electricity users.

These projects are key elements of the Tasmanian Government's Energy policy, Powering Prosperity, released in 2004.

Tasmania is also connected into the Australian natural gas network by a sub-sea transmission pipeline. A number of industrial, commercial and domestic customers are now connected and using gas.