The new $8m main inlet valve (MIV) is the size of a small house, weighing over 100 tonnes and measuring 5.8 metres wide and 4.8 metres high. 

Its arrival marks a major milestone in Hydro Tasmania's upgrade of the iconic facility and the culmination of years of logistical planning, engineering and international collaboration. 

Hydro Tasmania Executive General Manager Jesse Clark said the valve had travelled thousands of kilometres by road and sea. 

"This is one of the most significant milestones in the Gordon Power Station upgrade and an extraordinary logistical achievement," Mr Clark said. 

Components were manufactured, assembled and tested in Portugal, Spain and Austria. It travelled by boat from Belgium, around Africa and to Melbourne, before arriving safely in Devonport. 

Hydro Tasmania then worked with Tasmanian business Gradco to transport the valve Strathgordon on the back of a large truck that was pushed and pulled by additional prime movers, occupying two lanes of the Midlands Highway. 

"Moving equipment of this size through Tasmania is not something that happens every day," Mr Clark said. 

"The route, bridges, roads and transport equipment all required careful assessment and preparation to ensure the valve could be moved safely to one of the state's most remote power stations." 

The logistical challenges continued once the valve reached Strathgordon, where it was transferred to a specialised remote-controlled trailer and carefully manoeuvred through the power station's one-kilometre-long access tunnel. 

Hydro Tasmania undertook modifications within the tunnel, removing lights and cutting back sections of rock to create enough space for the passage of the oversized load. 

"Even after travelling around the world, the most delicate part of the journey was the final kilometre," Mr Clark said. 

"There were sections of the tunnel where there were just centimetres of clearance either side. It really gives you a sense of the scale of this equipment and the precision required to install it." 

The MIV is the first of three to arrive at Gordon and it is planned to be installed next year, with the remaining two MIVs arriving over the next 24 months. 

Mr Clark said the successful delivery of the valve highlighted the scale and complexity of the Gordon Power Station upgrade. 

"Seeing the valve arrive safely at Gordon after so many years of planning was a proud moment for everyone involved. 

"Gordon Power Station generates around 13 percent of Tasmania's total electricity needs every year and this is an important step in ensuring it continues to generate reliable renewable energy for decades to come," said Mr Clark. 

Ends. 

What is a main inlet valve? 

MIVs are critical safety components that control the flow of water from Lake Gordon to the power station's turbines. 

Each turbine has its own MIV which acts like a giant kitchen tap, serving as the primary barrier between the power station and the immense force of water driving electricity generation. 

This is the first of three original valves to be replaced at Gordon since the power station was commissioned in the early 1970s, with engineers drawing on original 1971 designs to develop the replacement. 

The new MIV was designed in partnership with German company Voith Hydro.