Basslink Pty Ltd has fired back at claims from Hydro Tasmania that its interconnector’s failure in 2015 was caused by a deterioration of the cable through overheating.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hydro this week declared two global experts had unearthed the reason for the cable’s failure, finding Basslink had run the cable above its importing capacity of 500 megawatts.
This was ascertained through running simulations, finding that the cable’s heating and cooling caused operational stress.
BPL has a contracted obligation to export energy to Tasmania at 630 megawatts over four hours.
Company chief executive Malcolm Eccles said dispelled the reports, saying they did not provide conclusive and definitive proof for the assumption that the cable deteriorated through overheating scenarios.
“Firstly, Hydro Tasmania’s experts did no actual testing on the Basslink cable or any similar high-voltage direct current cables,” he said.
“They used a theoretical model based on certain assumptions to come to a set of conclusions.
“These assumptions make the experts’ conclusions speculative and not based on actual facts.”
Mr Eccles said the company would run the interconnector at 500 megawatts in the meantime, as recommended in Hydro’s reports.
He said this was a prudent measure and in line with good electricity industry practice.
Mr Eccles said the company would also consult with the cable’s manufacturers Siemens and Prysmian over the reports.
He maintained the company’s long-held position that the cable failure was a force majeure and could not have been foreseen.
It has been compensated through insurance for the lack of income from facility fee payments from Hydro over the six-month outage.
In its last quarterly report to the Singaporean stock exchange, parent company Keppel Infrastructure Fund said Basslink had earned $60.9 million over the first nine months of this year.
Hydro Tasmania is the company’s sole customer.
A Hydro spokesman said the company was pleased BPL had agreed to limit cable flow as an interim measure.
He said the company would continue to pay monthly facility fees until March 31 while the cable company reviewed Hydro’s reports.
“We’re confident in the findings of the two global experts,” the spokesman said.