Program Development and Delivery – Quarterly Update

Tasmanian Irrigation is continuing to progress new irrigation projects around the State:

Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme

Construction of the buffer dam at Poatina is nearing completion.

Since site mobilisation in November 2024, the dam outlet pipes have been installed and pressure tested. The earthen embankment is about 95 per cent complete and the inlet structure from the Poatina tailrace is installed and backfilled.

Tasmanian Irrigation has worked closely with Hydro Tasmania on a 16-day shutdown of the Poatina Power Station. This allowed us to build a new drop structure within the tailrace at the Poatina Buffer Dam inlet, allowing water to be diverted into the dam through the new inlet structure.

Pipeline installation continues, with more than 91 kilometres of pipe now installed.

This 25,500-megalitre project remains on budget and schedule, with first water on track to flow in 2026.

Greater South East Irrigation Scheme

A Project Director has been appointed to lead development of the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme.

Andrew Pattle, most recently from Hydro Tasmania, will start in the role on 8 September and brings a wealth of experience to the GSEIS.

While the majority of water sales applications have been reviewed, and applicants advised of the outcome, we continue to review the balance of applications. Some of the remaining applications are for water to be delivered on the fringes of the scheme footprint and we are still determining project costs associated with that delivery. Completing this work will decide the final scope of the scheme and which applications will be included.

Tamar Irrigation Scheme

The business case for the Tamar Irrigation Scheme, supporting combined agricultural and industrial water supply, is being finalised to be submitted to the Tasmanian Government for assessment.

This is a crucial step for the project, which would have the capacity to supply 11,500 megalitres of high reliability irrigation water to the Beaconsfield, Legana, Rowella, Hillwood, Pipers Brook and Pipers River areas. A combined scheme would deliver up to an additional 9,000 ML per annum of water to Bell Bay for industrial use in hydrogen production.

Bell Bay Power Fuels was recently announced by the Tasmanian Government as the provisional proponent for the Tasmanian Green Hydrogen Hub at Bell Bay.

This followed an Expression of Interest process run by Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania (RecFIT), which attracted several submissions.

Tasmanian Irrigation is continuing to take part in detailed negotiations with the proponent regarding the supply of water to Bell Bay through the Tamar Irrigation Scheme.

Any agreement reached with the proponent will be on fully commercial terms, and there will be no subsidisation of hydrogen development by irrigators.