GenusPlus Group (ASX:GNP)a national provider of energy and communications infrastructure, has been awarded the contract for Stage 1 of the North West Transmission Developments (NWTD) project in Tasmania.
Project Marinus
This contract is part of the wider “Project Marinus”, which was first proposed in 2017. and aims to build two high-voltage direct current submarine cables (the Marinus Link) between Tasmania and Victoria. With the planned expansion of the wind farm and hydropower, Tasmania has the potential to generate a significant surplus of renewable energy. The existing Basslink interconnector would have insufficient capacity to transmit it.
The project is led by TasNetworks, the state-owned company that manages Tasmania’s electricity transmission and distribution networks. It is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Rewiring the Nation plan.
Network upgrade
The Marinus project includes not only the interconnector but also improvements to Tasmania’s transmission grid to support the increased energy flow.
GenusPlus will be the main contractor for Stage 1 of the NWTD, which will include the construction of double-circuit 220kV transmission lines, the extension of substations at Burnie, Sheffield and Palmerston and the construction of a new switching station at Heybridge.
The initial phase of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), estimated at US$42 million, covers engineering and design work, with delivery of materials to follow under separate agreements.
The construction phase is subject to several approvals and is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026, with completion scheduled for 2029.
The total cost of Phase 1 of the NWTD is estimated at $950 million.
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