Despite recently going through two of the driest years on record, the total energy in storage across Hydro Tasmania’s dams is sitting at 42%. This is well above the thresholds required for energy security* and levels are expected to rise further during the wet Spring months. 

It comes as Basslink transitioned to a regulated interconnector on 1 July, creating greater certainty for Tasmania and supporting Hydro Tasmania's ability to continue delivering value for the state. 

Hydro Tasmania CEO Rachel Watson said the result reflected careful and 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. 

"Our storages are a strategic asset for Tasmania, especially as the value of long-duration storages and flexible energy capacity continues to rise," said Ms Watson. 

Hydro Tasmania manages a vast network of lakes, dams and waterways that support a range of stakeholders and communities in Tasmania. 

"Our operators are balancing multiple priorities every day, managing the flow of water for irrigation, recreation, drinking and environmental flows," said Ms Watson. 

Adding to the opportunity is Hydro Tasmania's role in the National Electricity Market. 

"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," said Ms Watson. 

The combination of high storage levels and the transition of Basslink to a regulated asset places Hydro Tasmania in a strong position to continue supporting Tasmania's renewable energy future, while maintaining its commitment to responsible water stewardship.

Ends 

Note: *Water levels change throughout the year depending on the seasons and weather. Hydro Tasmania operates within the Energy Security Framework, which sets the high reliability level (HRL, sufficient to supply 6 months of local consumption in case of extreme drought and Basslink outage) and the prudent storage level (PSL, early indicator to adjust operations to maintain water storages). At this time of year, the HRL is 22% and the PSL is 30%.