The federal government-backed Marinus Link has finalised a $1 billion (EUR 600 million) contract with Italian company Prysmian to supply the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables for the 750 MW first stage of the transmission project that is to augment the existing grid connection linking mainland Australian and Tasmania.
Marinus Link, a venture jointly owned by the federal, Victorian and Tasmanian governments, said the contract ensures the design, manufacture, supply and installation for the initial stage of the proposed interconnector that would link northwest Tasmania and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria.
Comprising a 255-kilometre (km) submarine cable across Bass Strait and 90 km of underground cabling, the 750 MW first stage is to facilitate the flow of electricity between the two regions.
Marinus Link Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wykamp said the project is a cornerstone of the Australian government’s Rewiring the Nation Plan and will enable an efficient transfer of power from the areas where renewable energy is generated to those where it is needed.
“Marinus Link will enable Tasmania to import excess supply of solar and wind produced interstate, while reserving its hydro and storing the extra energy,” she said. “Clean hydropower can then feed the national grid when it is needed most, acting as a large battery for the nation.”
Prysmian will design, test, supply and install the HVDC cable system consisting of 320 kV single-core cables covering both undersea and land sections.
The company will also provide a fully integrated monitoring system that will allow all cables to be constantly monitored to measure all key operating parameters of the whole cable system.
Submarine cables will be produced at Prysmian’s manufacturing facility in Italy, while land cables will be produced in the Netherlands and France.
Marinus Link said the contract with Prysmian locks in a 2030 completion date for project with the commencement of the works, subject to the issuance of a notice to proceed, expected by August 2025.
Marinus Link has already tapped Hitachi Energy to provide key voltage converter technology for the project.
The project was originally to deliver a 1,500 MW capacity interconnector linking the mainland Australian and Tasmanian electricity grids but rising costs have prompted a shift in focus. The initial stage will now involve a single 750 MW undersea transmission line that will augment the existing Tasmania to Victoria interconnector, Basslink.
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the idea is good but when a tasmanian government is involved the locals always lose…waiting for the bad news to leak out on this one..