Tasmania's electricity requirements are provided by the
Hydro-Electricity Commission from a system based almost entirely on hydro installations.  There is an oil-fired thermal station located at Bell Bay.

Hydro-electric power provided by public enterprise came to Tasmania as early as 1895.  The present state-wide system however usually counts its history from a franchise to generate electricity issued to "Complex Ores Ltd" in 1909.  The company later  assigned its concession to the "Hydro-electric Power and Metallurgical Company Ltd".  this company ran into financial difficulties and the state acquired the undertaking under the authority of the Hydro-Electric Purchase Act 1914 and vested it in the newly created Hydro-Electric Department.

In January 1930 the Hydro-Electric Department was converted to a public corporation with the passing of the Hydro-Electric Commission Act 1929 which provided it with an autonomous form of management separated from the executive government. the Commission was created to manage the existing works and to control the waters of the state.

During 1987 the Hydro-electric Commission became the subject of major structural and operational changes.  In July legislation was passed to give the Commission a more flexible and up-to-date corporate
structure,and to expand its activities to allow utilisation of its skills and expertise while continuing its primary objective of generating and supplying electricity.

The legislation provided for the creation of a separate trading entity called the Hydro-Electric Commission Enterprises Corporation. The corporarion would enable the Commission to tender for work both in and out of the state not presently undertaken by Tasmanian firms, thus diverifying and making use of its technical expertise.
The legislation also altered the executive of the Commission, changing the structure from one commissioner and four associate commissioners to a total of six commissioners, with one being appointed as General Manager and one as Chairman.
 

Sources

A Guide to Tasmanian Government Administration : Wettenhall
Tasmanian Year Book 1967
Tasmanian Year Book 1988
Historical agency address
4-6 Elizabeth St, Hobart
Legislation administered
Hydro-Electric Commission Act, (N0 83) 1929 (Tas)
Government Business Enterprises Act 1995 (Tas)

Previous agency unregistered

Hydro-Electric Department, c 1914-c 1930