Hydro Tasmania has announced the start of a significant upgrade to the Tarraleah hydropower scheme, marking a crucial step in modernising the 85-year-old facility.
The centrepiece of this project is the construction of a new one-kilometre tunnel, which will link Lake King William to a future conveyance system feeding the Tarraleah Power Station.
The tunnel construction, now underway, involves an extensive drilling and blasting operation.
Over the next 15 months, approximately 260 controlled blasts will be carried out to excavate an estimated 100,000 tonnes of material.
This complex undertaking is being managed by local firm Hazell Bros Group in collaboration with tunnelling specialists, Tunnelling Solutions.
This upgrade is part of Hydro Tasmania’s broader ‘Battery of the Nation’ initiative, aimed at reimagining the state’s energy infrastructure for a low-emissions future.
The project, which began in late 2022, includes both immediate upgrades to the existing scheme and an exploration of long-term commercial feasibility.
To ensure public safety during construction, access to Butlers Gorge Road has been restricted to weekends and evenings until at least August 2024.
While the Lake King William campground remains closed indefinitely, the road still provides limited access to the lookout and boat ramp outside working hours.
Mossy Marsh Dam continues to be accessible for recreational purposes.
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