National grid plan finds Marinus Link essential as construction ramps up
Marinus Link Pty Ltd (MLPL) welcomes the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) latest Integrated System Plan (ISP), which reinforces Project Marinus’ role in underpinning system resilience, efficiency, and affordability across multiple future scenarios.
The centrepiece of the ISP is the optimal development path (ODP), which sets out the least-cost way to support secure and reliable electricity supply as coal power stations retire and electricity consumption near doubles, while meeting government policy through to 2050.
Project Marinus stages 1 and 2 are listed as key projects on the optimal development path, which is forecast to result in significant savings from avoided capital, operating, and fuel costs compared to a pathway without these transmission investments.
MLPL CEO, Stephanie McGregor, commended AEMO’s extensive consultation in shaping a set of robust inputs, assumptions and scenarios.
“Marinus Link stands as a critical asset in the National Electricity Market, delivering value for all consumers in a world of increasing energy demand and need for diversified, reliable, and secure energy supply.”
Project Marinus Stage 1 is among three projects that have advanced since the 2024 ISP and is now listed as a committed and anticipated transmission project.
The report also lists Stage 2 as ‘actionable’, a signal of the whole project’s important and ongoing role in providing a resilient and stable energy grid.
“Delivery is ramping up with preparatory works well underway across the project and major construction kicking off in the coming months.”
With Marinus Link in place, Tasmania and Victoria can share much more electricity, pairing Victoria’s wind and solar with Tasmania’s flexible hydropower system and geographically diverse wind.
“Marinus Link is essential infrastructure for grid reliability, resilience, and the efficient use of energy resources, with the benefits of this ultimately flowing through to consumers.”
The Marinus Link and North West Transmission Developments (NWTD) projects are collectively known as Project Marinus. NWTD is being progressed by TasNetworks.
