Authorities determine Tungatinah Power Station fire in Tasmania’s Central Highlands was accidental
Posted Thu 10 Sep 2026 at 9:51amThu 10 Sep 2026 at 9:51amThu 10 Sep 2026 at 9:51am, updated Thu 10 Sep 2026 at 10:08amThu 10 Sep 2026 at 10:08amThu 10 Sep 2026 at 10:08am
A fire that destroyed a major Tasmanian power station last week was accidental, the fire service says.
The Tungatinah Power Station, located in the Central Highlands, was completely gutted during a fire last week.
The Tasmania Fire Service said fire scene investigations had been completed, though the investigation will continue for a several months.
“Following extensive scene examinations, fire investigators have determined the fire was accidental,” Tasmania Fire Service Deputy Chief Officer Matt Lowe said.
“The preliminary investigation findings have identified several potential ignition sources which will be subject to further investigation over the coming weeks and months, however the fire has originated on the assembly bay floor, away from the main turbines.
“The investigation process so far has been complex due to the size of the facility, the significant structural damage sustained during the fire, and severe weather conditions experienced in the area last week.”
Mr Lowe said fire investigators had worked closely with Hydro Tasmania, Tasmania Police and other agencies throughout the scene examination process.
“While ongoing assessment and recovery works will continue at the site in the coming days, the scene was handed back to Hydro Tasmania yesterday,” he said.
Building to be demolished, Hydro says
Hydro Tasmania said it was too early to say how long it would take to rebuild and restart the power station.
“The building has sustained significant damage and unfortunately will need to be demolished,”
CEO Rachel Watson said.
“We won’t be able to confirm the state of the generating equipment until we can get full and safe access to that part of the station.”
When operational, Tungatinah had been able to generate 142 megawatts of power — providing close to 5 per cent of Tasmania’s electricity supply.
Ms Watson said the loss of the station had hit the workers hard.
“This is not just a building to us. When you work in a remote location for so many years, you build a strong connection to that place,” she said.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for staff, both past and present, who have spent much of their career working out of the offices at Tungatinah and dedicated their time to looking after this important power station.”