The Snowy Delivery team has issued an update on construction at the $12bn Snowy 2 Hydropower Project in New South Wales, currently being delivered by the Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV), comprising Webuild/Clough/Lane Construction.
The JV has completed 570,000 cubic metres of excavation of the Talbingo intake. This is where water will exit and enter the tailrace tunnel, connecting the lower Talbingo reservoir to the underground power station
Excavation of the Marica surge shaft has reached 95m. Mechanical excavation including rock breakers and excavators continues, with drill and blast methods also being used. Once complete, the 28m wide and 250m deep surge shaft will be used for water storage and pressure relief when the power station starts up, and to absorb the momentum. The Marica surge shaft will be one of the largest shafts of its type in the world.
Excavation of the gate shaft at Tantangara is complete, with drill and blast work to excavate the transition tunnels linking it and the intake well advanced. The gate shaft is used to stop and start the flow of water into the headrace tunnel and power station for maintenance purposes or in the case of an emergency.
Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs)
Florence
- Florence is the TBM excavating the 16km headrace tunnel, which will connect the underground power station to the upper Tantangara reservoir
- Following a seven-week operation to use ultra-high pressure water jetting to remove very hard rock preventing the TBM from progressing, TBM Florence restarted excavation on Thursday 11th July
- The Snowy delivery team expects highly variable ground conditions to continue ahead of TBM Florence, which will mean progress will continue to vary, particularly as the TBM navigates the curve leading to the main tunnel alignment
Lady Eileen Hudson
- TBM Lady Eileen Hudson, which has completed the 2.8km main access tunnel to the power station, is now excavating the 6km tailrace tunnel, which will connect the underground power station to the lower Talbingo reservoir
- The machine is progressing well and is approximately 3km into the tailrace tunnel
- A conveyor belt extension and service modifications have recently been carried out so excavations to join the tailrace tunnel with the Talbingo intake excavation can commence
Kirsten
- Kirsten is the TBM excavating the 1.6km Inclined Pressure Shaft (IPS – connecting the underground power station to the headrace tunnel that leads to the upper Tantangara reservoir), having already completed the 2.9km emergency, cable and ventilation tunnel
- TBM Kirsten has installed 14 trial tunnel lining rings in the IPS using locally manufactured concrete segments specifically designed for the high water pressures that will be experienced in the IPS
- Tunnelling of the IPS will be a pioneering engineering challenge, with the shaft’s incline reaching a steep 47 percent
The target date for commercial operation of all units is December 2028 with first power to be delivered in the second half of 2027.
Herrenknecht
Pioneering Underground Technologies - Herrenknecht AG is the technology and market leader in mechanized tunnelling. As the only company worldwide, Herrenknecht delivers cutting-edge tunnel boring machines for all ground conditions and in all diameters - ranging from 0.10 to 19 meters.
More Information | info@herrenknecht.com | +49 7824 3020
Comments: