By rosebell
Using the blasting from the inside method the first of two 360m tailrace tunnels at Australia’s Kidston Pumped Hydro Storage Project has been completed by a John Holland and McConnell Dowell joint venture.
The reason for supporting, drilling, and blasting the entire tunnel from the inside to out is that the crews had no prior access to the tunnel’s external portal face, around 170m vertically beneath the main access tunnel entry portal.
Due to producing up to 250MW energy, this breakthrough marks a major milestone in Genex Power project and the team says the complex method demanded precision, planning, and serious teamwork.
With the aim of paving the way for renewable energy facility to take shape,the tailrace tunnels are the final sections of tunneling.
The project in Queensland involves the conversion of a disused gold mine into a pumped storage hydroelectric power generation facility.
