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Basslink Concerned Citizens Coalition Predicts That The Victorian Electricity Consumers Will Now Be Called Upon To Bail Out The Tasmanians' Basslink Project.

By Bass Link - 10th June 2003 - Back to News

Basslink Concerned Citizens Coalition (BCCC) predicts that Victorian electricity consumers will now be called upon to bail out the Tasmanians' Basslink project.

Mr Keith Borthwick, Chair of BCCC said, "Victorians should view with scepticism the statement by State Energy Minister, Mr Theo Theophanous, that the Basslink project will be a $215 million boost to the Victorian and Tasmanian economies. We have been following this project for almost four years now and we cannot recall anybody trotting out that figure. The Joint Assessment Panel (JAP) concluded in 2001 that the economic benefits of Basslink were 'indicative at best.'"

"The price of Basslink has now blown out to $780million and this does not include the estimated $40 million that will be required to upgrade the Transend transmission system in Tasmania in order to make Basslink work," continued Mr Borthwick. "We doubt very much that any technological or economic development has been adopted by Basslink Proprietary Ltd since the JAP made that statement that would now make the project more viable."

BCCC believes that the Energy Minister's statement marks a shift in the Bracks' government's attitude to the project from one of detached disinterest to active support. The group is disturbed that the Victorian State government is now actively supporting the Basslink project.

"Furthermore." said Mr Borthwick, "it appears that the Victorian government is supporting the use of renewable energy certificates for the upgrading of HydroTasmania's existing generators."

"The way Minister Theophanous is talking, someone will have to bail out the Tasmanians regardless of the cost for this unprofitable scheme and that someone will be the Victorian electricity consumer," concluded Mr Borthwick.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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