A re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government will power Tasmania’s future by abolishing the legislative cap and competition impediments preventing Hydro from building or partnering in new energy generation facilities.

“Abolishing Hydro’s legislative limit on building or partnering in new energy generation infrastructure will truly power-up Tasmania’s future,” Premier Jeremy Rockliff said.

“It will also unlock a whole new generation of energy generation construction in Tasmania, with the potential to create local jobs in the process.

“Currently, under the Hydro-Electric Corporation Act 1995, the Hydro is prevented from building projects greater than 40 megawatts in capacity without going through a cumbersome Parliamentary process.

“This is an antiquated piece of legislation that has failed to keep pace with both advancements in wind and solar, and the demands of Tasmania’s strong economy.

“Within our first 100 days of re-election, we will introduce new legislation that lifts the limit on Hydro’s new energy generation.

“We will also remove the competition impediments in the Electricity Supply Industry Act 1995 and other associated legislation that is constraining Hydro’s capacity to help develop the energy Tasmania needs.

“This will unlock enormous opportunities for Tasmania, across hydro, wind and solar energy generation. “

Energy Minister Nick Duigan said that following on from yesterday’s announcement that the Liberals will re-write Hydro’s Ministerial Charter, the changes would free-up the Hydro to build and partner in the new energy generation our growing state needs.

“While Tasmania currently has sufficient energy to supply our needs, our State has grown rapidly over the past decade under majority Liberal Governments, and we need additional energy generation to cater for our needs into the future,” Minister Duigan said.

“For context, the current 40-megawatt limit would power just 12,000 households.

“This means that we rely on primarily interstate and overseas investors to build our new windfarms, solar farms and other new generation facilities – rather than being able to simply build them ourselves.

“By abolishing Hydro’s legislative speed limit, removing the competition impediments, along with rewriting the Charter, the Hydro really will once again operate as Tasmania’s greatest economic enabler.”