Hydro Tasmania has been a pioneer in Australia’s renewable energy journey for more than a century, commissioning the country’s very first hydroelectric power station in 1916. Fast forward to 2025 and the utility is the largest generator of renewable energy in Australia, with 30 power stations and more than 50 dams around Tasmania.
With such a rich history comes a wealth of historical documentation that needs to be digitised, along with possibilities for storing large data sets and integrating existing infrastructure with new digital models. To set itself up for another century of delivering clean energy, Hydro Tasmania has entrusted Autodesk with key aspects of its digital transformation, adopting the PDM Collection to enhance the design, construction and maintenance of its hydroelectric facilities.
Over the last seven years, Hydro Tasmania has used Autodesk software to author 3D models of power stations that assist project teams to better understand the internal and external workings of generating assets prior to taking it apart physically. This is essential for the utility’s work because no two power stations are identical. The ability to customise pieces of bespoke equipment is critical for the ongoing maintenance of Hydro Tasmania’s assets.
Now, the focus is on continuing to embed Autodesk Construction Cloud, a common data environment and single area where Hydro Tasmania and its suppliers locally and across the globe can store and access large documents, removing silos and improving communication and efficiency. Hydro Tasmania Team Leader of Design, Drafting and Documentation Management, Michael Penfold, said, “We’re using Autodesk Inventor for all our CAD authoring and Autodesk Vault for all of our storage. We’re also leveraging Autodesk Construction Cloud for sharing to work sites, uploading and using repeatable workflows.” The utility is already reaping the benefits, seeing significant improvements in project delivery and traceability.
Michael Penfold, Team Leader – Design, Drafting & Document Management, Hydro Tasmania.
Hydro Tasmania is currently upgrading its Poatina Power Station – the world’s highest head power station at the time of its opening in 1965. Hydro Tasmania Site Manager, Julian Quinn, said, “It takes its water from the Great Lake, goes through 6km worth of our rock tunnel, down through 2.5km worth of penstock, straight underground to six machines.” Hydro Tasmania Outage Manager, Josh Wilkes, said, “The refurbishment will see all six machines receive replacement turbines as well as a control system upgrade, with the team using Autodesk Construction Cloud for the entire project. With the augmented reality, we’re able to visualise it as we go,” Mr Wilkes said.
“Anything from how we’re lifting a component to how it needs to be removed or installed – even as far down as how we’re going to operate it in the future.” Mr Wilkes said utilising Autodesk Construction Cloud enables the team to be more efficient with plant placement. “After project completion, it largely comes down to having the real-world data available. In particular, with the augmented reality, we’re able to see all the internal components without pulling anything apart.”
Some of the other improved outcomes Hydro Tasmania has welcomed include automated workflows, enhanced collaboration, smoother project execution and more efficient use of resources. The embedded review and approval workflow options have been particularly useful. Reflecting on the upgrade journey, Mr Penfold said Hydro Tasmania has developed a great relationship with Autodesk. “We’ve given feedback, developer requests and product requests – all of which have been fed back into the platform relatively quickly. That’s not only in our best interest, but also other asset owners’, building those future ecosystems where we can harmonise all of the different platforms.” With its long legacy of innovation, Hydro Tasmania is now setting the benchmark for the Australian energy sector’s digital future.
