2016 Tasmanian energy crisis

[20] Actions taken to minimise the consumption of water from Hydro Tasmania's storages included: Also at a political level, the unresolved problem seems to have no cross party agreement on the issues.

[38] The energy crisis elicited a response for inquiries and examination of issues, including recent Hydro Tasmania management.

[39][40] By March 2016 Tasmanian media were discussing the extent to which Hydro Tasmania would be able to draw upon very low water levels in dams and still create energy from the downstream power stations.

[49] By late March 2016, Hydro Tasmania was to state lower levels on dam holdings than previously stated[50] and the state of the major dam of the system Lake Gordon had been recorded in its lowest record level[51] leading some commentators to suggest the option of bringing up an issue from some decades before, of the draining of the hydro-dam created new Lake Pedder back to the level of the original Lake Pedder.

[54][55][56] A series of diesel generators were installed at Meadowbank Power Station, to be part of the apparent short-term solution until June.

[69] It was claimed in early April that:[70] “active discussions” for more than three months about enforced blackouts and brownouts However this did not agree with the public statements of the Minister.

[71] Various sectors of the Tasmanian community, as well as regions, were concerned at the prospect of loss of energy available to support their industries.

"What we can control are contingencies that we can put in place to make sure that we can meet Tasmania's ongoing energy requirements."

In April, there was a suggestion that unseasonal weather in June (18 consecutive clear days on Bass Strait) was required for a successful re-connection to occur, put the question of possible further delays.

Yesterday, the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) at the Tamar Valley Power Station was turned off, as continued high inflows push storages close to spilling at a number of locations.In the same week, rainfall rates in Tasmania were well above average.

[85] Early in 2016, members of the Australian Senate decided to hold an inquiry into the crisis,[86] planned to occur in April 2016.

[87] The Tasmanian Minister for Energy's response to the impending inquiry on 14 April was a claim that he had not been asked to attend.

[88] The Premier's perspective was to criticise the inquiry as a federal election tactic, in the face of internal documents showing serious concern from within Hydro Tasmania regarding its water levels.