By Lynda Myer
While the target date for commercial operation of all units of Snowy 2.0 is December 2028, with first power expected in the second half of 2027, this project is being engineered to deliver clean and reliable energy storage and generation for the next 150 years.
Additionally, at Talbingo, tunneling of the tailrace adit is complete. Completing tunneling process of the 2.85km main access tunnel in 2022 was up to the TBM Lady Eileen Hudson (137m long, 11m diameter), currently it is digging the 6 km tailrace tunnel alignment and heading towards the power station complex, that marks the commence of the first power waterway on the Snowy 2.0 project. Considering that the recent advance of the project in a single day was more than 26 m, excavation program is ahead of schedule. The tailrace tunnel is 6 km in length, with TBM excavation continuing through to mid-2025.
With 211 m length and 11 m diameter, the TBM Kirsten has completed tunneling of the 2.93km emergency, cable and ventilation tunnel (ECVT) and its next destination is excavation of the 1.45km inclined pressure shaft (IPS) at a 47% incline and then followed by 2km of headrace tunnel.
Although TBM Florence has passed almost 150 m of the its 15km journey in headrace tunnel at Tantangara, it struck soft ground and was paused while successful ground stabilization works and installation of a slurry treatment plant took place. The machine is preparing for restart, subject to regulatory approvals.
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