The Snowy 2.0 pumped-hydro mega project has marked a milestone, with one of three tunnel boring machines (TBM), Lady Eileen Hudson, now two-thirds of the way through its second tunnel excavation.
The TBM is approximately 4km into the 6km ‘tailrace’ tunnel, which will link the lower Talbingo Reservoir with the massive 20-storey underground power station.
Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said that recent months have been some of the project’s most productive.
“Overall the project is around 60 percent complete and there’s a strong sense of momentum, with good tunnelling progress by TBM Lady Eileen and other two TBMs performing well,” Barnes said.
“Snowy 2.0 is one of the most complex and challenging megaprojects underway in the world. There is an immense sense of pride in what’s being achieved across the workforce of more than 3000 people.”
TBM Lady Eileen Hudson previously completed a 2.85km main access tunnel, which is now being used by construction teams to reach the underground power station site.
Drill and blast works are also advancing at the Talbingo water intake, creating a new 700m tunnel between the intake structure and the tailrace tunnel. The Talbingo intake is located in very steep terrain and following excavation of 570,000 cubic metres of material over two years, the rock face is now 110m high.
Barnes said Snowy 2.0 will be the most significant addition to the National Electricity Market (NEM) since the original Snowy Scheme.
“Snowy 2.0 will have a generating capacity of 2200 megawatts and an unmatched 160-hour storage capability, meaning it will be able to power around three million homes for a week,” Barnes said.
“While batteries and gas are important to store the excess energy from the increasing amounts of wind and solar in the grid, only pumped hydro can offer the long-duration storage needed to keep the lights on and smooth energy price peaks during extended periods without enough sun and wind.”
Snowy 2.0 is on track to be delivered within the $12 billion budget and be complete by the end of 2028.
