The Pieman Catchment has been developed in two stages and contains four hydro-electric power stations.
The first stage - the Pieman River Power Development - was approved by Parliament in 1971. Construction was started in 1974 and completed in 1987. The development consists of three power stations, five dams and a range of associated works. It harnesses the waters of one of western Tasmania's major rivers, the Pieman, and its two major tributaries, the Macintosh and the Murchison.
A single dam was constructed on the Murchison River. Water from the resulting Lake Murchison is diverted via the Sophia Tunnel into Lake Mackintosh. This lake serves as the major storage for the scheme and was created by the construction of the large Mackintosh Dam and the smaller Tullabardine Dam.
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The Mackintosh Power Station, at the foot of Mackintosh Dam, has a capacity of 79.9 MW. It discharges its water into Lake Rosebery, the first of two storages formed by dams across the Pieman River.
Water from Lake Rosebery passes through the 79.9 MW capacity Bastyan Power Station at the foot of Bastyan Dam. It then flows into Lake Pieman and eventually through the 231.2 MW capacity Reece Power Station at the foot of Reece Dam. |
Mackintosh Dam and Power Station
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