Tungatinah Power Station fire raises questions about Tasmania's power network stability

An overnight fire has gutted the Tungatinah Power Station in Tasmania's Central Highlands, rendering the hydro facility non-operational and raising questions about the state's power network stability. The station contributed about 5 per cent of Tasmania's energy supply before the blaze. Authorities have confirmed the network is secure, with no major industrial customers affected, though around 300 local customers lost power. Hydro Tasmania is activating contingency plans, including a 342MW gas generator expected online by week's end, while dam levels sit 15 per cent above prudent storage for this time of year. The rebuild could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take at least a year, though the station is fully insured. The outage will likely reduce Hydro Tasmania's revenue and dividends to the state budget, with analysts noting lower demand and strong reserves have softened the immediate impact.