Herbert Smith Freehills advises Marinus Link on major interconnector cable deal

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has advised Marinus Link Pty Ltd (MLPL) in relation to its contract with Italian-owned cable manufacturing company, Prysmian, for the procurement of a 750-megawatt High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea and land cable for the Marinus Link  interconnector between North West Tasmania and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria (the project).  

HSF Projects, Energy & Infrastructure (PEI) Managing Partner, Toby Anderson said the latest deal is a major milestone for the Marinus Link project. 

“Signing the cable package, along with the HVDC converter package, is a major milestone for Marinus Link, with supply of the critical core infrastructure for the project now secured. The cable being provided by Prysmian will run undersea across the Bass Strait and underground through Gippsland, connecting to converter stations in Victoria and Tasmania,” Toby said. 

“Marinus Link is a critical, nation-building project for Australia and will support future energy security in the National Energy Market (NEM). It will enable Tasmania to import excess supply of solar and wind produced interstate, while reserving its hydro and storing the extra energy. Clean hydropower can then feed the national grid when it is needed most, acting as a large battery for the nation.

“It was a pleasure to work alongside the Marinus Link team to support this major milestone,” Toby said.  

The announcement follows Marinus Link’s recent deal with Hitachi Energy to procure the HVDC equipment required for the converter stations, with the transaction again led by the HSF PEI team. Construction of the Marinus Link project is expected to begin in 2026.

The first stage of the Marinus Link interconnector has a capacity of 750 megawatts which is equal to the power supply for 750,000 Australian homes and approximately 1.5 times the capacity of the existing Tasmania to Victoria interconnector, Basslink. The cable spans 345 kilometres (km). This includes 255 km of undersea cables across Bass Strait and 90 km of underground cables in Gippsland, Victoria. 

MLPL, Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wykamp said the project has been classified as critical to achieving Net Zero.

“Marinus Link is a cornerstone project of the Australian Government’s Rewiring the Nation Plan and is classified as urgent in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s national energy plan.

“HSF has played a key role in supporting Marinus Link to achieve this major milestone.”

This transaction was internally led by HSF’s Projects, Energy & Infrastructure team. The team included Partners Toby Anderson, Laurelle Ko and Joseph Varghese, Senior Associates Talia Lake and Michael D’Agostino and Solicitors Jessie Sun and Clare Yu. 

HSF is also advising Marinus Link in relation to corporate and regulatory, planning and environment, employment and industrial relations and financing aspects of the project. 

HSF’s cross-practice teams continue to provide market-leading advice to clients in the clean energy sector, having recently advised: 

• a group of seven banks on the financing of the Ulinda Park Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project (the Ulinda Park BESS); 

• the lenders on the development and project financing of the 200MW/400MWh Rangebank Battery Energy Storage Systems, located in Cranbourne West, Melbourne, Victoria; 

• Edify Energy on the greenfield development, financing and sale to Sosteneo of the 185 MW / 360 MWh Koorangie BESS located in Victoria which achieved completion and financial close in October 2023; and 

• Fotowatio Renewable Ventures Australia (FRV Australia) on the project financing of the Walla Walla Solar Farm, located in Walla Walla near Albury, which will be one of the largest solar farms in New South Wales.