The Board of Hydro Tasmania today approved the next stage of the proposed redevelopment of Lake Margaret Power Station.
CEO Vince Hawksworth said the proposal would now proceed to the design and tender phase with the final business case to be submitted for Board approval by mid 2008.
Mr Hawksworth said the Board had approved refurbishment of the upper power station as the preferred redevelopment option with approval to complete the initial design and tender phase. This included a recommendation to replace the woodstave pipeline with a timber pipeline.
The next phase would address a variety of issues including:
Design and specification of new headworks, gates and control systems;
Specification of dam leakage repairs;
Inspection and report of intake structure and gates;
Investigations for replacement pipeline foundations;
Confirmation of tender and commercial terms for two timber pipeline suppliers
Inspection of turbine shafts for cracking;
Completion of power station refurbishment and design specifications;
Development application and environmental approvals; and
Building and Heritage Council approvals.
Hydro Tasmania will work closely with the West Coast Council and the Lake Margaret Community Liaison Group to explore options for tourism development in the areas based around the refurbished power station. It will also endeavour to determine a future for the village.
“Hydro Tasmania has made a number of commitments to the West Coast community over Lake Margaret,” Mr Hawksworth said. “Today’s decision by the Board meets the agreed timetable and moves the project one step closer to recommissioning.
“There is a lot of work still to be done, all requiring approval by the Heritage Council of Tasmania as well as satisfying planning requirements.
“The end result will be the submission of a final business case and significant tenders to the Board of Hydro Tasmania for approval by mid 2008.”
Hydro Tasmania closed the station on 30 June 2006 because of safety concerns regarding the woodstave hilltop pipeline. It made a conditional commitment in March 2007 to recommission or redevelop the station, including the installation of a new woodstave pipeline, providing it was economically feasible.
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