Labor to back second Bass Strait cable

Labor will stump up half the cost of a proposed $1 billion Bass Strait electricity cable, with leader Bill Shorten confident the project will go ahead.

Visiting Hobart on Friday the federal opposition leader promised the island state $5 million to investigate whether a second Basslink connector to the mainland was warranted.

But he is certain the business case will prove positive.

If elected to government Labor will develop a $10 billion "concrete bank" to fund vital infrastructure projects across the nation, Mr Shorten said.

"What we've said is that half a billion dollars of that could well be allocated to a second connector if the business case stacks up.

"A lot of people tell me that the business case will stack up."

The coalition has previously committed to jointly fund a feasibility study for a second Basslink cable and in response to the opposition's announcement Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz criticised Mr Shorten for making promises the nation couldn't afford.

"He's throwing money around like confetti," Senator Abetz said.

The case for a second Bass Strait cable has gained traction in recent months as Tasmania struggled through an energy supply crisis with record low rainfall severely curbing the ability to produce hydro power, and the existing Basslink cable broken and inoperable.

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie said there were greater funding priorities than a second cable.