Underwater engineering geotechnical surveys will be conducted in January on Tasmania's North West Coast, to see which route is preferred for the Marinus Link.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
MMA Offshore has been awarded the $5.5 million contract to undertake the survey, which supports the proposed 1500 megawatt capacity undersea and underground electricity connection between Tasmania and Victoria.
The contract was announced during budget estimates for Tas Networks, where questions were raised about the current and future funding for Marinus Link, where work to date on the link is funded by a $56 million federal government funding for the design and approval stage.
It was also revealed that TasNetworks spent more than half a million on a consultant report for energy cost modelling, conducted by FTI consulting which was described as a highly specialised service.
Tas Networks chief executive Sean Mc Goldrick said FTI looked at the wholesale energy pricing modelling, looking at the energy costs ot customers in the national electricity market.
"Just to be absolutely clear, FTI are certainly very good in the field and not the only party and certainly in other times I have used other consultants and also used FTI. They are very good at what they do," he said.
"In terms of the cost, in 2021, we had expenditure of $524, 000 with FTI."
A further $93.9 million in funding for Marinus Link is expected to come from the federal government, which will be matched by the state.
The hearing wanted confirmation that this future funding was quarantined from Tasmania's GST shares, and this assurance was given by TasNetworks.
It was also established the Marinus Link has 62 people currently employed, including 44 employees and 18 contracted employees, with 23 vacancies.
Just 6 of these jobs are in Tasmania, but Tas Networks chief executive Dr Sean Mc Goldrick said that at peak construction there will be 1400 jobs on the island that will be associated with the Marinus Link.
Energy minister Guy Barnett said up to 110 sites will be looked at for the $5.5 million underwater survey, at about 80 metres sea depth, between Heybridge, in Tasmania, and South Gippsland, in Victoria.
He said the proposed Tasmanian HVDC converter station site for Marinus Link is the old Tioxide site at Heybridge.
"Local residents will be able to observe this vessel doing survey work offshore over this summer."
