About the project
Basslink, the undersea electricity cable between Victoria and Tasmania, is the single largest connection to the Tasmanian transmission system with the capacity to export up to 630 MW of power and import 480 MW. Its arrival in 2005 brought with it some special challenges.
In addition to the task of installing connection equipment at our George Town Substation, the challenge we faced was to manage transmission contingencies and the high loadings on our assets resulting from Basslink’s operations. Our innovative solution was to design and install a centralised system protection scheme (SPS) that unleashes Basslink’s full potential. The SPS was designed from first principles and involved input from Hydro Tasmania, Basslink and Open Systems International. As far as we’re aware, it’s a world first.
The benefits
The design and installation of a centralised SPS has saved the outlay of hundreds of millions of dollars to build new transmission circuits or reinforce existing infrastructure. The leading edge technology has ensured the viability of Basslink by guaranteeing it can operate to its full capacity, providing important security of electricity supplies for Tasmanian customers in times of drought.
Completion date
The project was completed in 2005.