TasNetworks, the sole electricity network for Tasmania
TasNetworks is the only electricity network in Tasmania, operating both the transmission backbone and the distribution grid for the island state. It delivers power to around 290,000 customers across 68,000 square kilometres, from Hobart and Launceston to the West Coast, the East Coast and the Bass Strait islands.
The TasNetworks outage map is the tool customers check first when the power goes out in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, the Huon Valley or any of the remote Tasmanian regions.
- The size of the TasNetworks grid and the regions it covers
- Why westerly storms and ageing rural assets drive most outages
- The investments and technologies behind a hydro-dominated state grid
- The customer-facing outage map, alerts and Tasmanian concessions
One island, one network, 99% renewable electricity
TasNetworks is owned by the Tasmanian Government. The Tasmanian grid is part of the NEM and is connected to mainland Victoria by the Basslink HVDC cable, with a second link (Marinus Link) under construction. Tasmania generates around 99% of its electricity from hydro and wind, more renewable than any other Australian state.
Key figures for the TasNetworks electric network:
- Around 290,000 customer connections.
- About 540,000 people served, the population of Tasmania.
- 68,000 square kilometres of service area covering mainland Tasmania, King Island and Flinders Island.
- Around 23,000 kilometres of distribution powerlines plus 3,700 kilometres of transmission.
The network covers Greater Hobart, the Derwent Valley, Launceston, the North West Coast, the West Coast, the Tasman Peninsula, the East Coast and the Bass Strait islands.
Why westerly storms and long rural feeders shape the Tasmanian outage profile
Tasmania's outage profile reflects its position in the Roaring Forties: exposure to powerful westerly fronts and a network spread across forested, mountainous terrain.
Westerly storms and high winds
Tasmania sits in the path of strong westerly fronts year-round, with gales bringing down trees and lines across the West and North West Coasts. The June 2016 storms left tens of thousands of TasNetworks customers without power, and similar events recur every few years.
Vegetation
Tasmania's eucalypt and rainforest cover means trees falling on lines is consistently the leading cause of unplanned outages. TasNetworks runs a continuous vegetation management programme across more than 23,000 kilometres of powerline corridor.
Bushfires
Although wetter than the mainland, Tasmania still experiences serious bushfires, particularly in the East and South. The 2013 Dunalley fires destroyed parts of the TasNetworks grid on the Tasman Peninsula and shaped the network's current Bushfire Mitigation Plan.
Long rural feeders
Many TasNetworks customers are served by long rural feeders that cross forested and mountainous terrain. A single fault on these lines can isolate dozens of customers, and crew response times depend on travel distance from the nearest depot.
Basslink and supply-side risks
Tasmania relies on Basslink, the single 500 MW HVDC cable to Victoria, for import support during dry years. The 2015 to 2016 Basslink outage combined with low hydro storage triggered an energy supply crisis, though customer load shedding was avoided. Marinus Link, currently under construction, will add a second interconnector and remove this single-point-of-failure risk.
Marinus Link, network renewal and the Battery of the Nation
TasNetworks is at the centre of one of the most strategic infrastructure investments in Australia's energy transition, with Tasmania positioning itself as the Battery of the Nation for the wider NEM.
TasNetworks investment highlights
- Around $1.6 billion of capital expenditure across the 2024 to 2029 regulatory period.
- Construction of the Tasmanian end of Marinus Link, the new 1,500 MW interconnector to Victoria.
- Transmission upgrades for the North West Transmission Developments to enable new wind generation.
Marinus Link
Marinus Link is a 1,500 MW HVDC subsea cable linking Burnie in Tasmania to Hazelwood in Victoria. Combined with new pumped hydro projects, it lets Tasmania export firm renewable energy to the NEM during evening peaks and import during off-peak hours. The first cable is scheduled for service later this decade.
Network renewal
TasNetworks is replacing ageing wooden poles, upgrading rural feeders and reinforcing transmission lines exposed to high-wind corridors on the West Coast.
Bushfire and storm hardening
Composite-pole replacement, vegetation clearance and covered conductor installation are being deployed in the highest-risk corridors, particularly in the East, the South and on the Tasman Peninsula.
Smart meters, automation and Tasmania's growing solar fleet
Smart meters
TasNetworks is rolling out smart meters in line with the national 2030 target. Smart meters detect outages at the customer level, which matters particularly on the long rural feeders where confirming a remote outage by phone is slow.
Self-healing network
Automated reclosers and sectionalisers are deployed on key feeders, isolating faults within seconds and limiting the number of customers affected by a single line fault.
Solar and battery integration
Despite high latitudes, rooftop solar uptake is growing in Tasmania. TasNetworks is upgrading voltage management equipment and offering flexible export agreements that align with the state's hydro-and-wind mix.
Network monitoring
TasNetworks operates a 24/7 control centre in Hobart that monitors transmission and distribution across the state. Combined visibility supports coordination during major events.
Outage map, alerts and Tasmanian concessions
TasNetworks outage map
TasNetworks publishes a public outage map updated in near real time. Customers can check outage status by address or suburb and see estimated restoration times. The map is the primary tool used during storm events.
Outage alerts
Customers can register for SMS or email alerts when an outage is reported at their address. Alerts include estimated restoration times and updates as crews progress.
Life support customers
Households relying on life-support equipment can register through their retailer (Aurora Energy, the default Tasmanian retailer) for priority notifications of planned outages and prioritised restoration.
Tasmanian energy concessions
Eligible Tasmanians can apply for the Electricity Concession, the Medical Heating and Cooling Concession and the Heating Allowance, administered by the Department of Communities Tasmania.
TasNetworks within the wider Australian grid
For a wider view of how Australia's three power grids are structured, see the Australian power outage page. TasNetworks is the only distributor in Tasmania, so there is no neighbouring distributor inside the state. Across Bass Strait, Victoria's eastern network is operated by AusNet Services, which connects to the Tasmanian grid through Basslink and the future Marinus Link. When the power is restored but the internet is still down in Tasmania, the largest fixed-line provider is the NBN, and most customers buy retail broadband from Telstra, Optus or TPG.