Hydro Tasmania has confirmed it has taken over operational control of the Cambridge engineering workshop facility formerly operated by Alstom (now GE).
Hydro Tasmania has confirmed it has taken over operational control of the Cambridge engineering workshop facility formerly operated by Alstom (now GE).
The workshop was to have closed, following Alstom’s acquisition by GE and a decision by the company not to continue to operate it. Twelve people were employed at the workshop by GE. While those positions have been made redundant by GE, Hydro Tasmania will offer employment to seven people. Two other employees have been redeployed within GE.
Hydro Tasmania’s Chief Operating Officer, Evangelista Albertini, said the facility houses specialised equipment that is needed to undertake the large machining work required on the hydro asset portfolio.
"No other facility in Tasmania and only a limited number nationally have this capability," Albertini said.
"Hydro Tasmania considered carefully the implications of the Alstom (GE) facility not operating, and decided that it was both financially sensible and important from an asset risk management perspective to take over the lease of the workshop facility and retain the capability of this specialised machinery in the state.
"Hydro Tasmania will continue to rely on the excellent external workshop services that currently support our maintenance and refurbishment activities; the Cambridge facility will provide the specialist large-scale machining that other service providers do not offer," Albertini added.
Hydro Tasmania’s decision to assume control of the workshop means that this specialised engineering capacity will be retained in Tasmania. This is important to support the extensive forward work program required to ensure the ongoing safe and reliable operation of Tasmania’s hydropower infrastructure, the utility said.