Main works begin on Tasmania's North West Transmission Developments, with Genus as head contractor

Construction is under way on what TasNetworks calls a once-in-a-generation upgrade to Tasmania's electricity transmission network. On 31 August 2026 TasNetworks issued a notice to proceed (the formal instruction that lets a contractor start the main works) to its head contractor, GenusPlus Group, for Stage 1 of the North West Transmission Developments (NWTD).

Stage 1 covers 129 kilometres of new and upgraded transmission lines between Cressy and Burnie via Sheffield, together with substation upgrades and a new switching station at Heybridge. Genus told the ASX that construction would start immediately and is scheduled to finish in 2029.

"Issuing a notice to proceed represents years of planning, design, approvals and preparation," said Richie Sheather, TasNetworks' NWTD Project Director, in the TasNetworks announcement.

Project at a glance

What is being built

The new lines are double circuit 220 kilovolt (kV) lines, meaning each tower carries two separate circuits. TasNetworks says the upgraded network will be able to carry twice as much electricity.

The work runs in four sections (lengths are TasNetworks' approximate figures):

• Palmerston to Sheffield: a line of around 80 km, built alongside the existing line, with 167 new towers averaging 51 m high.
• Sheffield to the Stowport area: around 44 km with 94 new towers and 11 dual monopoles. TasNetworks describes this as the most complex construction zone, because the new line has to be built in a tight corridor while the existing line keeps customers supplied.
• Stowport area to Heybridge: a new 3.2 km line on a new easement, with 9 towers, running to the Heybridge site.
• Stowport area to Burnie: about 5 km of existing line replaced with a new double circuit line on 14 dual monopoles.

At Heybridge, on the former Tioxide factory site, a new switching station will use compact gas-insulated switchgear and sit beside the Marinus Link converter station. The Palmerston, Sheffield and Burnie substations will gain new equipment and upgraded protection and control systems.

How it connects to Marinus Link

The NWTD and Marinus Link together make up Project Marinus. Marinus Link, the undersea and underground interconnector to Victoria, will plug into the Tasmanian grid at Heybridge. Its preparatory works began this year, and in late September it received Australia's first offshore transmission licence, with construction to ramp up over the coming months. In a joint media release on 2 October 2026, Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Braddon MP Anne Urquhart said Project Marinus will deliver 750 megawatts of capacity and is expected to support around 2,400 jobs across Tasmania and Victoria.

TasNetworks says the upgrade also creates more capacity for existing and future renewable energy projects in the region, and supports wind, solar and hydro growth across the state.

Funding and approvals

TasNetworks reached financial close (the point where all funding is locked in) in May 2026. Its board approved a total project cost estimate of $1.317 billion, which includes provisions for risk and contingency. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is providing a concessional (below-market) loan of up to $1.2 billion from the Australian Government's Rewiring the Nation fund.

The CEFC says the low-cost finance, together with TasNetworks' lower-returning equity, is forecast to cut the network charges consumers pay for the project by around 55 per cent over its life, compared with standard regulatory settings. That equates to an estimated $315 million in benefits to Tasmanian electricity consumers in the first five years of operation.

The Australian Energy Regulator made its final decision on Stage 1 construction costs in February 2026. The Tasmanian Planning Commission granted a planning permit in March 2026 and Commonwealth environmental approval followed in April. The notice to proceed came after the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal upheld the planning permit.

Genus on the ground

Genus has been TasNetworks' head contractor since late 2024, working first under early contractor involvement (ECI, which brings the builder in during design) and early works agreements. Those agreements, worth $122 million and including long-lead equipment purchases, form part of the circa $750 million total. Genus began early site mobilisation in December 2025 and has set up in an upgraded office in East Devonport.

Managing Director David Riches said Genus is committed to creating opportunities for Tasmanians throughout the project, from employing local people to engaging Tasmanian businesses and suppliers. TasNetworks expects a large proportion of the construction workforce to be engaged through local Tasmanian subcontractors.

What's next

Crews now move into the first construction steps: marking out tower sites, building access tracks, preparing foundations and establishing the substation sites. Tower assembly and conductor stringing follow, with drones or helicopters pulling the first draw wires between towers. Completion is scheduled for 2029.

Host communities also share in the benefits through TasNetworks' $10 million Bright Futures Fund, which has announced its first round of recipients. Project updates are published on the NWTD project page.

Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 2 October 2026