Hydro Tasmania has entered the new financial year with its highest start-of-July water storage levels since 2012, strengthening Tasmania’s energy security after two of the driest years on record.
The total energy stored across the utility’s dams is sitting at 42 per cent – well above the thresholds required under Tasmania’s Energy Security Framework – with storage levels expected to increase further during the wetter spring months.
The milestone coincides with Basslink’s transition to a regulated interconnector on July 1, a move Hydro Tasmania said will provide greater certainty for Tasmania’s electricity system and support continued value for the state.
Hydro Tasmania CEO Rachel Watson said the result reflected disciplined water management across one of Australia’s most complex integrated water and energy systems.
“Achieving this has required very careful management of Tasmania’s water resources, balancing the needs of electricity generation with the many other important ways water is used across the state,” Watson said.
“Our storages are a strategic asset for Tasmania, especially as the value of long-duration storage and flexible energy capacity continues to rise.”
Hydro Tasmania manages an extensive network of lakes, dams and waterways that support electricity generation while also supplying water for irrigation, recreation, drinking water and environmental flows.
“Our operators are balancing multiple priorities every day, managing the flow of water for irrigation, recreation, drinking and environmental flows,” Watson said.
Watson said Hydro Tasmania’s participation in the National Electricity Market also required continual assessment of how water resources are used.
“The National Electricity Market is highly dynamic, and with conditions changing every five minutes, we need to constantly assess how to best use our water resources,” she said.
Hydro Tasmania said the combination of strong storage levels and Basslink’s transition to a regulated asset leaves the business well positioned to support Tasmania’s renewable energy future while maintaining responsible water stewardship.
According to the Energy Security Framework, Hydro Tasmania’s high reliability level is currently 22 per cent, while the prudent storage level is 30 per cent. Storage levels naturally fluctuate throughout the year in response to seasonal conditions and weather.
