Work on Snowy 2.0 is advancing across multiple fronts despite recent temporary work stoppages, according to the Australia’s largest renewable energy project’s latest announcement.
The project, which will significantly expand the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, is focused on the development of critical infrastructure, including power station caverns, reservoir intakes, and tunnel excavation.
Excavation work for the Snowy 2.0 power station complex has made significant headway, with over 35 per cent of the rock support installation and excavation complete within the caverns.
The transformer hall is nearly 50 per cent excavated, while the machine hall has reached a depth of 28m.
The drill and blast tunnels, which provide access to various levels of the complex, are over 93 per cent complete.
Additionally, excavation of the 266m-long collector waterway tunnels, which will channel water from the power station to the tailrace tunnel, is 80 per cent finished.
In the Tantangara intake pit, construction is progressing with the aid of a 40m high tower crane. More than 6600 cubic metres of concrete have been poured as part of the project’s first permanent structures.
Meanwhile, excavation of the Talbingo intake connection tunnel is also progressing, with 370m of the 825m tunnel already excavated.
The Marica surge shaft, which will provide essential water storage and pressure relief for Snowy 2.0, has reached a depth of 151m, with continued excavation towards the target of 240 metres.
The downstream surge shaft, which is expected to be 200 metres high, is 68 per cent complete.
Three tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are currently operating on-site, with significant progress being made.
TBM Florence is more than 3km into the 17km headrace tunnel, while TBM Lady Eileen Hudson has completed 85 per cent of the 6km tailrace tunnel.
TBM Kirsten, which is tasked with the 1.6km inclined pressure shaft, has excavated 14 per cent of its route.
In December 2024, Snowy Hydro’s application for a fourth TBM was approved by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure.
This new machine will be deployed to help tunnel through a challenging geological fault zone, with operations set to begin in late 2025.
After recent work stoppages, underground operations have progressively resumed over the past two weeks.
All three TBMs are operational again, and excavation of the power station caverns continues.
According to the project’s website, while underground work was temporarily paused, above-ground activities remained unaffected and continued throughout the downtime.
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