Hydro Tasmania has completed the $35.5 million Edgar Dam upgrade four months ahead of schedule, improving dam safety, renewable energy infrastructure, and local economic development.
Located in Tasmania’s remote southwest within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA), the project combined complex engineering with careful environmental management to improve the dam’s resilience while protecting one of Australia’s most environmentally significant landscapes.
The primary objective of the Edgar Dam upgrade was to strengthen the dam against seismic activity.
Related article: Hydro Tasmania celebrates Gordon Dam’s 50th anniversary
While the risk of a major earthquake on the nearby Lake Edgar Fault is extremely low, the completed works further enhance the dam’s ability to withstand such an event, ensuring the ongoing safety and reliability of Hydro Tasmania’s renewable energy assets.
The project was delivered through a partnership between Hydro Tasmania, its consulting business Entura, and Tasmanian civil construction company Hall Earthmoving, which served as head contractor.
Hydro Tasmania CEO Rachel Watson praised the collaborative effort that enabled the project to finish ahead of schedule.
“Completing the Edgar Dam upgrade four months ahead of schedule is an outstanding result and reflects the skill, commitment and collaboration of Hall Earthmoving and the project team,” she said.
“Projects like this support local jobs, skills and businesses while delivering long-term benefits for Tasmania’s renewable energy future.”
Working within the TWWHA required rigorous environmental planning and management throughout construction.
The project was referred under the Federal Government’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to ensure environmental impacts were carefully assessed and minimised.
Environmental protection measures included vehicle and machinery washdown facilities to prevent the spread of weeds and pathogens; restrictions on vehicle movements during certain periods to protect threatened wildlife; and continuous water quality monitoring and management throughout construction.
Related article: Pumped hydro and solar project to revive Hunter mine site
“Working in such a sensitive environment required careful planning and a strong commitment to protecting the World Heritage Area’s natural values,” Watson said.
With the major construction works now complete, the project enters its final phase in which Hydro Tasmania will focus on demobilising the site and reinstating and rehabilitating the Edgar Dam Campground.
