Win for Tasmania at COAG Energy Council meeting

The Tasmanian Government is very pleased that the COAG Energy Council has agreed to progress development of the detailed design of the National Energy Guarantee.

With our abundance of renewable energy, particularly Hydro generation, a well designed National Energy Guarantee can deliver significant opportunity for Tasmania.

The National Energy Guarantee represents the best opportunity to progress a national scheme for affordable, reliable, and clean energy and reward Tasmania’s historic investment in renewable energy.

However, there is a lot more work to do to both protect and promote Tasmania’s interests.

In a major win for Tasmania, COAG agreed to prioritise further work on the transmission system and interconnection in the National Energy Guarantee.

This would strengthen the case for a second Bass Strait interconnector and underpin our Battery of the Nation ambition, unlocking major investment in renewable energy projects and more jobs in Tasmania.

I am very pleased that COAG has listened to Tasmania’s views in terms of improved interconnection with the National Energy Market.
Infrastructure Australia recently announced the proposed second interconnector as a national priority.

The Hodgman Liberal Government is targeting 100 per cent renewable energy generation and Australia’s lowest energy prices by 2022.

Tasmania is already the nation’s renewable energy powerhouse and the Hodgman Government is determined that our contribution will grow as we work towards a final determination on the National Energy Guarantee.

I look forward to ongoing good faith cooperation at a national level that will deliver benefits for Tasmania from the National Energy Guarantee.
Guy Barnett, Minister for Energy