The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has agreed to further extend the date by which TasNetworks must publish their Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR) for the Waddamana to Palmerston Transfer Capability Upgrade project, to 31 October 2026.
In June 2025, the AER agreed to extend the date TasNetworks must publish the PADR for this project from 26 June 2025 to 28 February 2026. TasNetworks requested that extension to allow additional time to properly explore and include options and data to improve the quality of their PADR.
TasNetworks has since requested to further extend the publication date so it can take into account possible changes and updates to the project as part of the 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP). In making our decision, we considered the effect of a further extension on the quality and timeliness of the regulatory investment test for transmission process, and whether the extension would hinder TasNetworks’ ability to deliver the project in time to meet the identified need in the ISP.
TasNetworks has advised that a delay to the PADR’s publication date will not incur additional costs and will mitigate the risk of overspend across a range of considered scenarios. TasNetworks also provided assurance to the AER that despite the granting of this PADR extension, they will still be able to deliver the project to meet the required timing identified in the Draft 2026 ISP.
Following this decision, TasNetworks must:
- publish the PADR associated with the Waddamana to Palmerston Transfer Capability Upgrade project by 31 October 2026
- consult on this report for a minimum of 6 weeks
- publish the Project Assessment Conclusions Report as soon as practicable consistent with clause 5.16A.4 of the National Electricity Rules.