Hydro Tasmania has sent two reports to Basslink’s owners which it believes solves the mystery surrounding the outage which contributed to the state’s energy crisis in 2015.
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International experts behind the reports have challenged the view that the cable can safely transport 630 megawatts of power over four hours, finding through simulated trials that the cable overheats.
The report found through selecting sample periods of energy transportation, there were times where the copper core exceeded the minimum temperature of 55 degrees Celcuis, and thus, caused the cable to degrade.
Basslink, in their own investigation, over the outage said it was a force majeure; something that was unforeseeable.
Hydro chief executive Steve Davy said the report suggests that the cable cannot meet the minimum operation requirements that Basslink Pty Ltd (BPL) were contractually bound to.
He said the report recommended that Basslink drop importation and exportation of power to a maximum of 500 megawatts and that the company install a more conservative control system to better manage the cable’s operations.
“It's now incumbent on BPL to consider the reports and take the necessary steps to improve its cable to the standard and specifications promised,” he said.
Mr Davy wouldn’t say whether Hydro would seek claims from Basslink, or its parent company the Keppel Infrastructure Trust, for the costs it bore during the energy crisis.
Those costs were estimated at between $140 and $160 million.
“We will talk to them about the commercial ramifications,” he said.
“I think it would be far preferable for everybody if we negotiate an agreeable outcome.”
Energy Minister Guy Barnett said there was no threat to the state’s ongoing energy security as the report did not suggest a change to the 500-megawatt import capacity of the cable.
BPL said it was reviewing the reports but stood by its own investigation, conducted by Cable Consulting International, that it was a force majeure event.
Labor energy spokesman Scott Bacon said the cable failure should have been subject to a full independent inquiry.
Greens energy spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said Hydro’s revelation, which was at odds with BLP, made a case for public ownership of the cable.
