By rosebell
On October 14th, a significant achievement was made in the Snowy 2.0 project with the breakthrough of the 216-meter tunnel connecting the water intake at the upper Tantangara reservoir to the gate shaft. You can watch the moment in this video click here.
The latest Snowy 2.0 project milestone is the breakthrough blast in the 216 metre-long tunnel connecting the water intake at the upper Tantangara reservoir to the gate shaft!
When complete, this tunnel will deliver water to the gate shaft and then the headrace tunnel, all the way to the power station at Lobs Hole.
The tunnel was excavated using the traditional drill-and-blast technique. Aftr meticulous preparation, the final blast successfully cleared the remaining 3.1 meters. Throughout the entire length of the tunnel, the rock conditions remained consistent.
This tunnel will channel water from the gate shaft to the headrace tunnel, ultimately reaching the power station at Jobs Hole.
The 62-meter-deep Tantangara gate shaft plays a crucial role in the system, offering both maintenance access and flood protection for the power station. It functions as a valve, capable of shutting off water from the Tantangara reservoir if necessary.
During the excavation of the connection tunnel, 14,700 cubic meters of material were removed, 1,300 cubic meters of shotcrete were applied, and 3,200 rock bolts were installed to reinforce the rock face.
