Frequently Asked Questions

The anchor was directly hooked on the damaged section of cable – as you’ll see from the vision in the ABC video – so we’re confident it damaged the cable.

We’ve had divers check that cable’s condition. It looks fine, but we’ll keep a close eye on it and undertake regular inspections.

A significant amount of environmental assessments need to be undertaken. The cable needs to be manufactured and imported which requires a long lead time.

A second cable running from Simmonds Point to Woodcutters Point is currently supplying the island. Extra diesel generators have been transported on site to ensure supply to the island is restored in a timely manner should a fault occur on this second cable.

An EMP (Environmental Management Plan) will be prepared by the end of November 2020

The EMP will consider marine and terrestrial values as well as consideration to any issues associated with the old cable.

The assessments have included (but not limited to) the following considerations:

 

Native flora	Handfish habitat
Native fauna	Giant Kelp
Threatened species	Reef habitat
Introduced species	Seagrass beds
Heritage	Introduced species
Erosion and sediment control	Physical characteristics

We will be updating this page and communicating our plans to the community as the project progresses.  Feel free to ask us a question on our questions page and we'll get back to you.

TasNetworks has 

• Engaged submarine cable experts to come up with concept plans for the cable replacement. 
• Undertaken marine surveys to understand the sea bed floor and any areas that need to be avoided
• Commenced procurement of a new submarine cable
• Installed additional switching on our infrastructure on the Island to allow for faster restoration times in the event of a power issue
• Relocated extra diesel generators from other areas of the State to increase security of supply if required.

Once our assessments and surveys have been completed, we will be in a position to share the final construction plan and timeline.