The Basslink fault is a wake-up call for the government. It shows just how reliant we’ve become on importing coal-fired power from Victoria, and how vulnerable we are because of it.
As much as 40% of our electricity has come via Basslink in recent months, and there’s clearly no plan in place for a secure, clean energy capacity.
Minister Groom has tried to duck and say these circumstances are highly unusual, but all predictions for the future are that summers like these will be increasingly common. We’re now in a post-Paris world, and Tasmanians expect the Minister to announce his plans for our clean energy future.
We need to diversify our renewable power mix and secure a dependable electricity supply. We’re perfectly positioned for wind, wave and solar power. These are the industries we want to actively encourage to Tasmania, rather than continuing to rely on the dirty and very expensive Tamar Valley power station as a safety net.
Hydro storage is down to only 25%, but we’re going to be draining that battery even more while this fault gets fixed. Where will that leave us if we have a dry autumn?
