The $14.7 million Upper Lake Margaret Power Scheme was officially opened today by Premier David Bartlett.

Hydro Tasmania Chairman, Dr David Crean, said the completion of the redeveloped power scheme marked a significant milestone in the history of Lake Margaret.

“In 1914 the Lake Margaret Power Scheme was an innovative development to deliver electricity for the Mt Lyell Copper Mine” Dr Crean said.

“Today we celebrate its return to service in much the same configuration as it was in its original state with the energy again being delivered to the copper mine.”

Dr Crean acknowledged the West Coast Community Liaison Group led by Darryl Gerrity, the Heritage Council Works Assessment Committee led by Michael Lynch and the Hydro Tasmania Working Committee led by Andrew Scanlon and Tony Field, who were all able to agree on a solution that met each Group’s objectives and enabled the Scheme to be redeveloped.

“Hydro Tasmania has been working with the local community through the Community Liaison Group to look for potential tourism and business opportunities once the redevelopment is completed, and will work with the Heritage Council to preserve the heritage values of the area” he said.

Three sections of the original King Billy pine woodstave pipeline have been preserved on site and a further three have been donated to the Queenstown Galley Museum, the West Coast Pioneers Memorial Museum at Zeehan, and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

Work has just commenced on the $13.2 million Lower Lake Margaret Power Station redevelopment which will see a 3.2 megawatt mini hydro installed that will generate an additional 21 gigawatt hours of energy or enough to power around 2,200 homes.  It will be completed and operational by mid next year.

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