New energy in old station

Hobart Mercury
Saturday 24/7/2010 Page: 17

Hydro power on the West Coast has come full circle with the official opening yesterday of the Lower Lake Margaret power station near Queenstown. The station was originally commissioned in 1914 to deliver electricity to the Mt Lyell Copper Mine but was decommissioned in 1995 because of extensive corrosion of the 1.9km wooden pipeline.

Yesterday a $13.2 million project to install a 3.2MW mini hydro plant in the station was officially opened by Energy and Resources Minister Bryan Green. The station will generate 21GW hours of energy, enough to power about 2200 homes, with zero carbon emissions. Hydro Tasmania chairman Dr David Crean said the energy would all be sold to Copper Mines of Tasmania under a commercial agreement. The power generated at Lake Margaret will be enough to provide 60% of the mine's annual power needs. Dr Crean said the project was part of Hydro Tasmania's effort to develop an additional 1000GW hours of energy from the existing power system.

It follows the opening of a $14.7 million redevelopment of the Upper Lake Margaret power station last year. Dr Crean said the skills and innovations involved in the Lake Margaret project were now being exported around the world. He said projects included a model for remote area power supply based around Tasmania's Bass Strait Islands. "Hydro Tasmania is developing renewable energy solutions for these Islands which will see 90% of their energy become renewable", he said.

Dr Crean said Hydro Tasmania was also helping India and Sarawak with hydro projects. West Coast mayor Daryl Gerrity, who lobbied Hydro Tasmania to retain the Lake Margaret complex, said the State Government had made $250,000 available to explore tourism opportunities relating to the redevelopments. "One of the ideas we are considering is the construction of an iconic walking track between Lake Margaret and Cradle Mountain", he said. Cr Gerrity said other projects being considered included a wilderness retreat or school and corporate and training facilities.