Marinus Link Pty Ltd has announced the signing and awarding of a new major contract worth about $1 billion (€600 million) for Stage 1 of the Marinus Link – an undersea and underground electricity and data interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria.
Prysmian PowerLink has been chosen to design, manufacture, supply and install the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable system for the first stage of the project.
“Prysmian has proven and global expertise in delivering projects like Marinus Link.
“We have booked their most advanced cabling vessel – the Leonardo Da Vinci.
“Marinus Link will enable Tasmania to import excess supply of solar and wind produced interstate, while reserving its hydro and storing the extra energy. Clean hydropower can then feed the national grid when it is needed most, acting as a large battery for the nation,” Marinus Link CEO Caroline Wykamp said.
The HVDC cable system will consist of 320kV single-core cables with XLPE insulation and single-wire armouring that will cover both the subsea and underground sections of Marinus Link. Prysmian PowerLink will also provide a fully integrated PRY-CAM permanent monitoring system.
The sub-marine cables will be produced at Prysmian PowerLink’s facility in Arco Felice in Italy while underground cables will be produced in Delft in The Netherlands or Gron in France.
“This project strengthens our global leadership, as well as our position in Oceania’s fast-growing renewables market. We are proud to support Australia in its goal to combine the benefits of renewable energy to deliver low-cost, reliable, and clean energy to customers,” Prysmian PowerLink EVP Transmission Hakan Ozmen said.
Marinus Link is a key element in the Tasmanian Government’s 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future that aims to drive down electricity prices by unlocking new power generation both in Tasmania and on the mainland.
This project is also a cornerstone development of the Australian Government’s Rewiring the Nation Plan and is classified as urgent in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s national energy plan.
Moreover, the Marinus Link project is expected to unlock more than $1.3 billion in economic activity and create 1,400 jobs in Tasmania, providing significant employment opportunities and economic stimulus in Tasmania during project construction.
“The Tasmanian Government was comforted by the fact contracts for the cable and converter station have been locked in and the commitment from Marinus Link that the construction schedule, and the expected completion date of 2030, are unchanged.
“The Marinus Link Pty Ltd Board has also now advised that the Final Investment Decision (FID) is now proposed for May 2025.
“We have always said will only support this project going ahead if the benefits for Tasmania stack up and the best way to ensure a sound decision is made in Tasmania’s interest, is to ensure Marinus Link Pty Ltd presents robust and comprehensive information to enable confidence in a final decision,” Minister for Energy and Renewables Nick Duigan said.
The Tasmanian Government will be preparing and publicly releasing a whole-of-state business case for the Marinus Link project before the FID is released.
Marinus Link Pty Ltd is owned by the Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian governments. It is responsible for progressing the Marinus Link interconnector project towards construction and completion.
Marinus Link will have a 1,500MW capacity, delivered in two stages. The first stage will deliver an initial 750MW and the second 750MW capacity to follow at a later date.
The project’s cables will span 345 kilometres, including 255 kilometres of undersea cables across the Bass Strait and 90 kilometres of underground cables in Gippsland, Victoria.
Marinus Link’s route will start from Heybridge in Tasmania, cross the Bass Strait onto the shore at Waratah Bay and run north through South Gippsland into the Latrobe Valley.
The project also includes two converter station sites at each end of the cables and a communications station in Waratah Bay. The converter station in Tasmania will be built on the corner of the Bass Highway and Minna Road in Heybridge. Meanwhile, the converter station in Victoria will be located on Tramway Road, adjacent to the current Hazelwood terminal station in the Latrobe Valley.
Source: Premier of Tasmania – News; Marinus Link (1, 2, 3); Prysmian PowerLink; PV Tech; PV Magazine Australia; Tasmanian Times