Mr BAYLEY – Minister, to take you to a couple of south-west dam-related issues, in your answer to Prof Razay, I heard you respond that there is a project to raise the head level of the Gordon Dam. This is something that I have not heard discussed in the past. Could you explain that? Are you talking about raising the level of the dam, and therefore the area of the land being flooded, or are you talking about upgrades to the power station facilities? We’ve just been through the 50th year of that facility and I don’t know of anything other than improving the technology of the power station that has been discussed.
Mr DUIGAN – Essentially, there is opportunity at the Gordon Power Station and, as you point out, there have been works going on at Gordon to refurbish machine No 2, I believe, but anyway, a substantial investment there. The station has a maximum rated output of – and these are made‑up numbers – say, 300 megawatts, but with the storage where it is, it has a maximum output of, say, 200 megawatts. If you raise the level of the storage, increase the head height, you would then be able to get a greater output from the station, and essentially it’s the lake level coming up by – I’m not sure and again I won’t speculate, but a relatively small amount, one to two metres, something like that, and that gives you the greater capacity. What you need is a year where it rains heavily on the west coast to help build those storages. Probably, this year is not a year for that; last year wasn’t a year for that, but over time it’s something that we would see as a worthy goal.
Mr BAYLEY – Are you talking about physical engineering work on the dam structure itself?
Mr DUIGAN – No.
Mr BAYLEY – Are you just talking about water management, so that the level of the dam can increase to perhaps where it has been historically and then it’s managed from there, beyond, not actual physical management that would flood additional areas.
Mr DUIGAN – Yes.
Mr BAYLEY – Coming to the Pedder impoundment, there was a magnitude 4.1 earthquake in September which was a deep concern and Edgar Dam is on a fault line. Can you confirm what assessments were done to confirm the dam was structurally sound, and are you able to table any of those assessments or reports?
Mr DUIGAN – Hydro’s 24‑7 monitoring system provided immediate notification of the September event. Assets performed as designed and no damage was sustained. There were no safety concerns.
Mr BAYLEY – Specifically around assessments on structural soundness and whether you can table them.
Mr DUIGAN – Let me just spool through this. There are current works occurring at Edgar and Scotts Peak which further strengthen – no, might be a good one for Hydro. There’s stuff on flood modelling, but I haven’t got anything specific on that.
Mr BAYLEY – On the structural integrity of the Edgar Dam?
Mr DUIGAN – Hydro is saying in terms of their assessment, no damage sustained through the earthquake. Obviously, there is work underway at Edgar to further strengthen it. Specifically, what would you like?
Mr BAYLEY – Assessments around the structural integrity of it in the context of that 4 September earthquake and modelling and indications as to next steps.
Mr DUIGAN – Are you happy for that to be a Hydro question?
Mr BAYLEY – If you’re able to take it on notice that would be useful because again, these all inform questions.
Mr DUIGAN – It is very much in the Hydro so I would defer you.
Mr BAYLEY – When it comes to Scotts Peak, you mentioned –
CHAIR – Mr Bayley, that’s your questions, sorry.
Mr BAYLEY – To continue the questions on the dam works, you mentioned work being done at Scotts Peak but I’m not sure that’s actually the case. Can you confirm the present status of the Scotts Peak dam works and when a permit to do those dam works is anticipated being submitted?
Mr DUIGAN – Let me see. I may have inadvertently rolled Edgar and Scotts Peak in together, so if I have misspoken that’s how I’ve managed to do that.
Mr BAYLEY – I accept that.
Mr DUIGAN – I may be able to find some reference. Again, Hydro has chapter and verse on this, but just let me see if I have anybody here. Bear with me, if you would.
Mr BAYLEY – While you’re there, perhaps on the same briefing, there is some information about the estimated cost of that project. For 2019-2021 it was to be $50 million. Cost estimates were sort of parked a bit while the EPBC assessment went ahead. We would have far preferred that referral to be both projects because they are clearly joined projects. That’s not how you managed it, but now they’re $99 million, the latest cost estimate for the Scotts Peak project as well.
Mr DUIGAN – I’ve got information on Edgar, which is talking about $35 million.
Mr BAYLEY – No, Scotts Peak specifically, please. If you have the estimated final completion cost of Edgar, that’d be very useful because we’ve only had estimates.
Mr DUIGAN – No, I do not.
Mr BAYLEY – Are you able to take that on notice? I accepted its detailed information you may need seek.
Mr DUIGAN – Again, and I know I keep saying it, but next week Hydro will be here and they will have it.
Mr BAYLEY – You don’t normally have that excuse, minister, because we don’t normally have Estimates in November.
Mr DUIGAN – It’s not an excuse.
Mr BAYLEY – I appreciate that, but this information will help inform questions for next week, so I would prefer you, with respect, to take them on notice so that we have that information.
Mr DUIGAN – I think I will hold the line. It is a detailed question that is very much in the realm – it’s not being run by DSG or by ReCFIT or by my office. It is being run by Hydro, so with respect –
Mr BAYLEY – These are budget Estimates and these are budget-related issues.
Mr DUIGAN – Is it reflected in the Budget? No.
CHAIR – Asked and answered.
