THE Liberals have committed $2.5million to boost Hydro Tasmania's generation output and push for a second Basslink cable should the party win government.
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Energy spokesman Matthew Groom announced the party's energy policy yesterday at a forum in Launceston organised by the Energy Users Association of Australia.
He said the party wanted Hydro's generation output lifted 10 per cent, or an additional 1000 gigawatt hours, to deliver addition revenue.
Mr Groom said the generation boost could be achieved through catchment diversions, raising existing dams, redevelopment of existing power stations and small hydro schemes.
He said it would maximise the state's capacity to deliver energy to the mainland in peak periods.
The Liberals will also push for a second nationally funded interconnector across Bass Strait.
The first cable cost about $875 million to construct.
The Greens also released their energy policy yesterday with an angle to keep all energy generation confined to Tasmania.
Energy spokesman Kim Booth said not exporting power would lower the overall price of electricity.
He said the current Basslink cable cost $92 million in rent a year and had driven power prices up - a claim dispelled in 2012 by an expert energy panel report on the state's electricity industry.Energy Minister Bryan Green said yesterday it was critical to learn whether the state actually required more energy generation.
