APA

Basslink

The Basslink electricity interconnector is a 370 km 500MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable crossing Bass Strait, linking Victoria and Tasmania’s electricity grids. 

370km
in length
500MW
nameplate capacity
2022
acquired by APA
Additional information
Marine information

The longest section of the Basslink Interconnector is the subsea cable that is 290km long and runs from Four Mile Bluff near George Town in northern Tasmania to McGaurans Beach in Gippsland, Victoria. The cable is steel wire armored, very heavy and is expected to remain deeply buried, but the marine environment is dynamic and Basslink has a precautionary approach to deal with the unexpected.

Basslink works with fishers and other marine professionals as well as State and Commonwealth agencies; and a key result has been the Basslink Code of Conduct for Fishing and Anchoring Safely, which is now in effect. Basslink is committed to ensuring safe fishing along the interconnector.

Other initiatives have been encouragement of the use of high hold cable friendly anchors, supply of the Basslink map in hard copy and the writing and installation of software that can be used on many versions of GPS plotters.

Basslink also facilitates the safe transit of offshore oil and gas structures used in the Gippsland Basin and further afield across the cable route. For further advice please contact us via our contacts page.

Snagged?

Anchoring in the vicinity of the cable should be avoided. In the unlikely event that storm surges have uncovered the cable and you become snagged, do not apply extreme winch power, just abandon the gear, record its location and contact Basslink:

Marine Emergency Hotline 1800 008 767

There are strong laws that apply to you. If you are negligent and cause damage you may be prosecuted and face heavy penalties, but if you take all reasonable measures and you sacrifice your anchor or fishing gear to avoid damaging the cable, you are legally eligible to be compensated for your loss.

Know your location. Catch fish not cables.

Further information is available on the Basslink-Fishing Industry Code of Practice, cable friendly anchors, hardcopy maps and software.

Environment

Basslink takes its responsibility to the environment extremely seriously, central to this is our Environmental Policy. Implementation of this policy is found in our Environmental Management System (EMS) core of which is our Operations Environmental Management Plan (OEMP).

Basslink environmental responsibility included an initiative to Rejuvenate, Revegetate, Return an old agricultural property to native vegetation and habitat. In this project Basslink utilised the expertise of Greening Australia. More than 16 million plant seeds were sown on the 280 ha property.

Operations Environmental Management Plan

The Operations Environmental Management Plan contains 16 components including , standard procedure, land access plan, complaints management, and incident reporting procedures that explain how environmental issues will be managed during operation and maintenance.

The OEMP also describes maintenance activities such as:

  • Overhead line inspection and maintenance
  • Transition station maintenance
  • Easement inspection and maintenance
  • Converter station maintenance
  • Subsea cable maintenance
Basslink Telecoms Pty Ltd

Basslink Telecoms is a network infrastructure owner, carrier and operator, providing high speed bandwidth services from Tasmania to Victoria.  

Contact:

Basslink Telecoms Network Operations Centre (NOC) 

1800 317 548 

noc@basslink.com.au