Australia’s largest renewable energy project, Snowy Hydro 2.0, continues to forge ahead with substantial progress reported across multiple facets, despite recent setbacks due to safety concerns. According to a recent update from Snowy Hydro, the development of the power station complex is advancing steadily, with notable milestones achieved in various sections of the project.
PHOTO: An aerial view of the Snowy Hydro project CREDITS: Snowy Hydro.
Excavation and the installation of rock support within the caverns have reached over 35 percent completion. The transformer hall is now almost halfway excavated, while the machine hall has reached a depth of 28 metres. The complex’s drill and blast tunnels, which provide access across various levels, are over 93 percent complete.
Deputy Project Director, Mark Fox said, “The power station caverns are developing into huge spaces, and are some of the largest ever built underground within the hydropower industry. The power station cabins will be big enough to fit the Sydney Opera House inside.”
PHOTO: Deputy Project Director, Mark Fox.
According to Snowy Hydro, the project has made significant headway in excavating the 266-metre-long collector waterway tunnels, achieving 80 percent completion. Meanwhile, the upper Tantangara reservoir intake is advancing with the aid of a 40-metre tower crane, while the lower reservoir intake has 370 metres excavated from its connection tunnel.
PHOTO: Snowy Hydro – underground in one of the excavated tunnels.
The Marica surge shaft has been excavated to a depth of 151 metres. When completed, it will be one of the widest and deepest operational shafts in the world. The downstream surge shaft’s upper chamber is 68% completed, designed to handle water storage and pressure relief roles.
Mr Fox advised a key part of the power station complex now under construction, are the three downstream waterway tunnels. “These tunnels will hold 266 meter long collector tubes, which are very large steel pipes that pass water to the tail race tunnel and onto Talbingo Reservoir after the water has passed through the six power station generator units.”
“When Snowy Hydro 2.0 is operating at near full capacity, these pipes will pass enough water to fill 40 olympic sized swimming pools every minute.”
The project employs several tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to drive forward excavation progress. TBM Florence is more than 3 kilometres into the 17-kilometre head race tunnel, and TBM Lady Eileen Hudson has completed 85 percent of the tailrace tunnel. TBM Kirsten continues to excavate the inclined pressure shaft, with 14 percent completed to date. A fourth TBM is expected to begin by the end of 2025, following approval to bolster tunnelling capacity.
PHOTO: A fourth TBM is expected to begin work by the end of 2025.
After recent disruptions, underground operations, including work by the TBMs and cavern excavations have resumed progressively over the past few weeks. Above-ground activities remained unaffected and progressed as planed.
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