It
was only a few years ago when the Tasmanian Liberal Government almost blacked
out the state. Tasmanians are right to not trust this government with energy
security.
Hydro
Tasmania has today disclosed that it has drawn dam levels down below the
Prudent Storage Level.
This
is a regulated level updated by Energy Minister Guy Barnett only last year –
supposedly to protect Tasmania’s energy security.
While
it is true that rainfall has been lower than expected, it also true that Hydro
Tasmania has been heavily exporting since the national energy crisis commenced.
It
is extraordinary that Minister Barnett has allowed this to occur less than a
year after he made the Energy Co-ordination and Planning Order 2021.
We
have had warnings from AEMO around Tasmanian energy security for both gas and
electricity – with Minister Barnett being unwilling to provide any detail on
how Tasmania plans to mitigate these risks.
Minister Barnett must make a Ministerial Statement to outline Tasmania’s energy security situation in Parliament next week.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Energy Minister
