What is Marinus Link?
Marinus Link is a proposed undersea and underground electricity and telecommunications interconnector between North West Tasmania and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria.
The project comprises high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables, fibre optic cables, and converter stations in both Tasmania and Victoria. The converter stations will connect Marinus Link directly into the transmission networks in both Tasmania and Victoria.
The cables will be about 345 kilometres long, including 255 kilometres of undersea cables across Bass Strait and 90 kilometres of underground cables in Victoria.
Marinus Link will be supported by more than 240 kilometres of high voltage alternating current (HVAC) network developments in Tasmania, called the North West Transmission Developments.
Marinus Link will be delivered in two stages. Initially as a 750 megawatt (MW) project (Stage 1) with a second 750 MW link to follow at a later date (Stage 2).
The project will unlock Tasmania’s renewable energy and storage resources to deliver reliable and clean energy for customers in the National Electricity Market (NEM).
It will further connect Tasmania to the NEM, which comprises Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
Marinus Link’s 1500 MW capacity is equal to the power supply for 1.5 million Australian homes and approximately three times the capacity of the existing Tasmania to Victoria interconnector, Basslink.
Marinus Link route
Marinus Link will cross Bass Strait, connecting into existing electricity transmission networks near Burnie in North West Tasmania and Hazelwood in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria.
The proposed location of Marinus Link in North West Tasmania will enable connection into some of Australia’s best renewable energy and storage resources. The proposed cable route connects to Tasmania’s North West Transmission Network at the proposed Heybridge converter station, on the coast just east of Burnie.
From Heybridge, the cable will cross Bass Strait for approximately 255 kilometres, buried beneath the seabed. Marinus Link will be underground in Victoria, crossing the shore at Waratah Bay about 3 km west of Sandy Point, running north through South Gippsland and into the Latrobe Valley. It will connect into the national electricity grid at Hazelwood in the Latrobe Valley.
Interconnectors
The project is an interconnector, as it connect two or more transmission networks. Interconnectors allow power to flow between different regions (i.e., between Tasmania to Victoria), and allow the efficient transfer of electricity from renewable energy generation zones to where the electricity is needed. Interconnectors can increase the resilience of the National Electricity Market (NEM) and make energy more secure, affordable and sustainable for customers.
Interconnectors are common around the world including in Australia. They play a critical role in supporting Australia’s transition to a clean energy future.