A major fire that engulfed the Tungatinah Power Station in Tasmania’s Central Highlands was brought under control in the early hours of Thursday morning, September 3. Emergency services responded to reports of a structure fire at the remote Tarraleah site, approximately two and a half hours from Hobart, around 9pm on Wednesday, September 2.
The blaze, which was described as “fully ablaze” at its height, was contained by about 1am on Thursday. Multiple fire crews from volunteer stations across the Derwent Valley and Central Highlands, alongside career firefighters from Hobart and Bridgewater, attended the scene. Aerial platform vehicles were also dispatched from Hobart and Launceston to assist with firefighting efforts.
Hydro Tasmania has confirmed that no employees or contractors were present at the station when the fire broke out, and no injuries have been reported. The company moved quickly to reassure Tasmanians that the state’s power system remains secure, with no risk to overall energy supply. Energy Minister Nick Duigan echoed this assurance, stating that further investigations would occur throughout the day. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) noted that the Tungatinah 110-kilovolt substation tripped at 9pm due to the fire but did not instruct load shedding.
While the fire is now contained, the full extent of the damage to the 70-year-old power station is not yet known. Images from the scene have shown the station “gutted” by the fire. An investigation into the cause of the fire is set to be launched, with the cause currently unknown.
As a result of the incident, the Lyell Highway has been closed between Fourteen Mile Road and Victoria Valley Road, with Tasmania Police advising the closure is likely to last for approximately 24 hours. Residents requiring access to Bradys Lake are being permitted through.
Locally, about 350 customers in the immediate and surrounding areas, including Bradys Lake, Bronte Park, Dee, Derwent Bridge, Lake St Clair, London Lakes, Tarraleah, and Victoria Valley, are experiencing power outages. TasNetworks has advised that a long delay is expected before supply can be restored to these affected areas.
Tungatinah Power Station is a significant part of Tasmania’s hydro-electric scheme, being the newer of two hydro stations at Tarraleah and one of ten major power stations in the state, with a generating capacity of 142.2 megawatts.
For further details and ongoing updates, readers are encouraged to refer to original reporting from outlets such as ABC News Tasmania.