Basslink Timeline

  • 2000? The Tasmanian Government (Hydro Tasmania) decide upon National Grid Australia to build a power interconnector between Victoria and Tasmania. Interconnetor will also contain a fibre optic cable. Basslink Pty Ltd is formed to manage the interconnector.

  • 2002-11-29 - Power & Telecoms agreements signed between National Grid Australia and Hydro Tasmania *p16

  • 2003-03-03 - Surveying begins *
  • 2003-03-24 - Construction begins *

  • 2004-05-28 - Cable laying ship leaves Melbourne *
  • 2004-06-11 - Cable laying begins *
  • 2004-12 - Transformers damaged during shipping * *

  • 2005-04 - Civil construction works substantially complete *
  • 2005-05-29 - Tasmania becomes part of the National Electricity Market *
  • 2005-07-20 - Cable laying from Victoria to Tasmania complete *
  • 2005-11 - Original completion date (before transformer damage occured) *
  • 2005-12-01 - Power flows across Basslink for the first time, as part of the testing *

  • 2006-04-29 - Commercial trading of energy on the National Electricity Market begins * #
  • 2006-05-09 - Project officially opened via video link using its own fibre connection *

  • 2007-06 - Net power exports from Tasmania for the first time *
  • 2007-08-02 - Sale of Basslink from National Grid Australia pending *
  • 2007-08-31 - Cityspring Infrastructure Trust, a wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek, completed the acquisition of Basslink with a total enterprise value of A$1.175 billion.

  • 2008-11-11 - Activation agreement signed. Aurora Telecom & Basslink Telecom to both provide wholesale services on the cable *
  • 2008-11-24 - Ericsson selected as transmission solution provider *

  • 2009-01-23 - Basslink defends speed of progress - Activation by April/May *
  • 2009-03-30 - More Basslink delays; Internode signs up - Activation by Mid 2009 *
  • 2009-04-22 - Original Basslink Telecoms agreement terminated *
  • 2009-06-10 - Basslink confirms they will have Basslink active by the end of June *
  • 2009-07-02 - Internode and Exetel announce they are undergoing testing of their Basslink connections *
  • 2009-07-06 - Basslink Telecoms announces the cable is live *
  • 2009-06-16 - Basslink telecommunications cable officially opened *

  • 2021 - Original end of 15 year telecoms facilty agreement (terminated 2009**p40
  • 2031 - End of 25 year power facility agreement *p2
  • 2046 - Nominal end of life for the interconnector *p6