Australia has granted the first Transmission and Infrastructure Licence (TIL) under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 to the 1.5GW Marinus Link, providing the final Commonwealth approval for full construction. The licence — valid until 2090 — covers the lifecycle of the subsea power cables and fibre-optic infrastructure and creates safety and protection zones. Marinus Link will span 345 km between Heybridge (Tasmania) and the Latrobe Valley (Victoria), with 255 km undersea and 90 km underground, and will supply about 1.5 million homes while boosting interstate internet capacity by roughly 150 times.
Australia Grants First Offshore Transmission Licence to 1.5GW Marinus Link — Final Commonwealth Approval Secured
Marinus Link will connect north-west Tasmania to the Latrobe Valley in Victoria via 345km of undersea and underground cables. Credit: Dietrich Leppert/Shutterstock.com.
Australia's proposed 1.5GW undersea electricity and data interconnector, Marinus Link, has been awarded the first Transmission and Infrastructure Licence (TIL) under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021, clearing the final Commonwealth regulatory hurdle before full construction begins.
Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson issued the licence, which authorises the construction, installation, operation, maintenance, repair and eventual decommissioning of the project's offshore subsea power cables and associated fibre-optic infrastructure. The licence will remain in force until 2090.
Protections and Project Scope
The TIL also activates statutory safety and protection zones under the Act to prevent vessel anchoring and other commercial activities that could damage the cables once they are in place. The licence builds on environmental approval granted last year under the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Route And Infrastructure
Marinus Link will run between Heybridge in north-west Tasmania and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria, spanning 345 km of cabling. Of that total, 255 km will be laid undersea across Bass Strait and a further 90 km routed underground through Gippsland. Converter stations will be built at Heybridge and Hazelwood, with a communications station planned for Sandy Point, Victoria.
"The Transmission and Infrastructure licence is one of the final permits ahead of construction, allowing electricity to be transmitted through Commonwealth waters and providing protection over the subsea cable route," said Marinus Link CEO Stephanie McGregor. "It is the first TIL granted under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 — the national regime designed to support offshore renewable energy and transmission infrastructure in Commonwealth waters."
Capacity And Benefits
At full capacity the interconnector will be able to supply the equivalent of about 1.5 million Australian homes, roughly three times the capacity of the existing Basslink link between Tasmania and Victoria. The fibre-optic component is expected to boost internet capacity between the two states by around 150 times.
The link will enable greater two-way electricity flows: Tasmania could import surplus mainland renewable generation while reserving and storing hydropower to export back to the national grid during periods of peak demand. Preparatory works began earlier this year and construction activity is expected to intensify in the coming months.
What Comes Next
With the TIL now granted, Marinus Link has the Commonwealth regulatory approvals required to move into full construction. Project timelines, detailed construction plans and contractor appointments are expected to be announced as onshore and offshore works progress.
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