By ashleykaren
The Snowy Hydro and Future Generation contractor teams are now a single team, after the reset of Australia’s Snowy 2.0 project in August.
The two companies are working in partnership to acquire complete commercial operation by December 2028. Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV) contains Webuild and its subsidiaries Lane and Clough.
In an advancement update, Paul Smith, project integration manager, claimed that over 40% of the project is complete. This completion comprises excavation of the 2.85km central access tunnel, lined with nearly 13,000 concrete segments; excavation of the 2.9km emergency, cable, and ventilation tunnel; road upgrades; and infrastructure to support construction, containing the main yard workshops, worker campsites, and over 50km of access roads across three major worksites at Lobs Hole, Marica, and Tantangara.
Excavation is underway on the 250m-long underground power station cavern and the tailrace tunnel, and the Kirsten tunnel boring machine is being adjusted to bore the inclined pressure shaft. In addition, drill and blast to make 11 cross passages and construction tunnels are advancing.
Recent Stage 2 earthworks contain a blast covering an area of 4,500m2. Approximately 10,000m3 of material is being released as the 104m-high intake excavation continues.
In August, Dennis Barnes, Snowy Hydro CEO, reported a project reset to allow the project’s commercially successful and sustainable delivery.
Snowy 2.0 has fronted challenges, such as over a seven-month delay in tunneling on the headrace tunnel when a surface depression developed, as the tunnel boring machine was transitioning from soft material into harder rock conditions. While ground stabilization was being done, the Florence tunnel boring machine was stopped.
Snowy 2.0 is the most considerable renewable energy project under construction in Australia and will deliver deep storage central to Australia’s renewable transition.
Once complete, it will provide 2,200MW of dispatchable generation.
