TasNetworks has begun marine surveys in the Bass Strait as an important next step in delivering a ‘shovel ready’ Marinus Link and supporting transmission project. Work will be undertaken in Victorian State Waters and the Waratah Bay Coastal Reserve over the coming weeks.

Marine surveys of the sea bed are part of preliminary works as the proposed Marinus Link and supporting transmission major infrastructure project moves into the ‘Design and Approvals’ stage.

The survey work will help determine the best route for Marinus Link’s undersea cables, and will mainly be using sonar technology to measure the surface and subsurface of the sea bed. This survey work will be carried out in February and March 2020 dependent on weather conditions.

Progressing the ‘Design and Approvals’ stage is made possible thanks to $56 million in funding provided by the Australian Government in an announcement by the Prime Minister in 2019.

The Marinus Link Business Case Assessment Report was released in December 2019 with $20m in funding support from the Australian Government through The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Tasmanian Government through TasNetworks.

The report demonstrated that a 1500 MW Marinus Link is technically feasible and commercially viable and that work should continue to deliver a ‘shovel ready’ Marinus Link to support the National Electricity Market as Australia transitions to a renewable energy future.

Marinus Link is essential infrastructure to strengthen the national electricity grid and unlock Tasmania’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse and the Battery of the Nation, delivering low-cost reliable and clean energy to customers around Australia.