Leaked Hydro projections show Tasmania’s dwindling water storages are now classified as “risk extreme,” state Labor leader Bryan Green has said.
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Mr Green said Labor had re-examined Hydro Tasmania projections leaked in January which proved that dam levels were in the “risk extreme” category, and called on Energy Minister Matthew Groom to publicly release the latest modelling.
“In fact the worst case scenario modelled by Hydro has dam levels at 9 per cent, not the 6.5 per cent level relied on by the Premier and Minister Groom,” Mr Green said.
“It shows that levels below 9 per cent have never even been contemplated by Hydro.”
Mr Green said Mr Groom should release the revised modelling in full so Tasmanians could fully understand the situation.
Premier Will Hodgman said the State Government was being completely honest with the Tasmanian public about the energy crisis.
“I’d be very anxious to see any further scaremongering by Labor or the Greens on this issue,” he said.
“What we’re doing - and that includes through public advertisement – is to give Tasmanians a true picture, a snapshot of where we are at.”
Mr Hodgman said he believed the Senate Inquiry into the energy crisis, which is set to start in mid-April, was about political posturing ahead of the federal election.
“It is clear in the run into the federal election there will be some federal parliamentarians who want to make political gain out of all this,” he said.
Labor’s re-examination of the leaked modelling comes after the Bureau of Meteorology released data showing rainfall was 33 per cent below average in Tasmania throughout March.
Climate outlooks show areas in the Midlands have a 75 per cent chance of receiving between 10 and 25mm of rain in April.
The rest of Tasmania has a 75 per cent chance of receiving at least 25mm during April, while parts of western Tasmania could experience between 100mm and 200mm in that timeframe.