Basslink’s third and final joint of the cable repair has now been completed and successfully tested. The cable bight has also been laid and the entire length of the single piece of cable is currently on the seabed.
The Basslink team will shortly commence a range of land-based tests of both the electricity interconnector as well as the fibre optic telecommunications cable, and all associated equipment on either side of Bass Strait.
The cable repair vessel is currently in Bell Bay changing over the crew in anticipation of reburying the cable. These tests and reburial of the cable will be conducted over the next week, with a view to return the electricity interconnector and the telecommunications cable to service before the end of June, subject to any delays due to unforeseen circumstances.
Chief executive Malcolm Eccles said it was a relief the weather conditions allowed this final stretch of the jointing work to be completed with minimal interruption.
“There has been well over one hundred people working incredibly hard at sea and on land to rectify the fault,” he said.
“It has been an extremely challenging six months, and we are grateful to have had such a committed team working with us.”
Subject to final testing and satisfactory weather conditions, Basslink will rebury the cable in the next few days, and re-commission its converter stations at George Town and Loy Yang.
