News

SNOWY HYDRO’s SNOWY 2.0 IS POWERING HEAD – FIND OUT MORE!

09/05/2022

With work on Snowy 2.0 powering ahead and three huge tunnel boring machines now in operation, now is a great time for community members to discover more about Australia’s largest committed renewable energy project at local information sessions being held throughout the Snowy Mountains.

Snowy Hydro will host the Snowy 2.0 community information sessions starting from Tuesday 10 May, providing locals with opportunities to be updated, ask questions and provide feedback.

Hear from the Snowy 2.0 project team about:

Current project activities and news;
Traffic management and road safety initiatives;
Accommodation, recreation access and other local issues;
Jobs and training on Snowy 2.0.

Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad said construction of the Snowy 2.0 pumped-hydro expansion of the mighty Snowy Scheme was providing significant economic and social benefits right across the region.

“There are 1,800 people employed on Snowy 2.0 and tens of millions of dollars are being invested locally, so it continues to be a very exciting time for communities throughout the Snowy Mountains,” Mr Broad said.

“I encourage everyone to come along to one of our sessions to hear the latest about Snowy 2.0 and learn more about all of the training and work opportunities with the project.

“We’re keen to hear your views about Snowy 2.0, discuss any local concerns that you may have and answer your questions.”

Run by Snowy Hydro, the sessions will be attended by representatives from Future Generation, the joint venture partnership managing Snowy 2.0 jobs, procurement and subcontracting.

There will be a formal presentation and Q&As at the sessions, plus the chance to speak one-on-one with project team members while enjoying light refreshments.

Community information sessions schedule:

Date	Town and location	Time
Tuesday 10 May Wednesday 11 May	Cooma Ex-Services Club Adaminaby Bowling Club	6-7.30pm 6-7.30pm
Tuesday 17 May Wednesday 18 May Thursday 19 May	Cafe Nest, Tumbarumba Club Tumut Talbingo Country Club	6-7.30pm 6-7.30pm 6-7.30pm

News

SNOWY 2.0 POWERING AHEAD WITH COMMISSIONING OF TUNNEL BORING MACHINE FLORENCE

22/03/2022

Snowy Hydro and members of the local community have today come together to celebrate the commissioning of the third and final tunnel boring machine (TBM) for Snowy 2.0, Australia’s largest renewable energy project.

The 143 metre-long TBM Florence is one of a trio of technologically-advanced machines excavating more than 27 kilometres of waterway tunnels as part of Snowy 2.0, the huge pumped-hydro expansion of the iconic Snowy Mountains Scheme that is ensuring Australia’s secure and reliable transition to renewables.

Snowy Hydro Managing Director and CEO Paul Broad joined Snowy Mountains community members and representatives from Snowy 2.0 principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture for a celebration event and ribbon-cutting at Tantangara, where TBM Florence is being launched to excavate the headrace tunnel.

Mr Broad said it was a wonderful experience sharing a significant project milestone with the community, former Snowy Scheme workers and local school children and businesses.

“We want to thank the local community for their support. It’s great knowing that this massive project is delivering thousands of jobs, many training and apprenticeship opportunities for workers, and a major economic boost for the Snowy Mountains region and beyond,” Mr Broad said.

“The progress we’re making on Snowy 2.0 is terrific. The other two TBMs, Lady Eileen Hudson and Kirsten, are already powering ahead excavating the main access tunnel and emergency, cable and ventilation tunnel at Lobs Hole, so we’re delighted to be starting this very long and deep headrace tunnel from Tantangara.

“Watching TBM Florence’s big blue cutterhead spin today alongside people who helped build the original Scheme highlights the pride we at Snowy Hydro have in our pioneering past and how exciting the renewable energy future is with Snowy 2.0.”

There are almost 1,800 people currently working on Snowy 2.0, including hundreds of locals, with the project generating about 4,000 direct jobs and many more in the supply chain.

Snowy 2.0 will deliver 2,000 megawatts of pumping and generating capacity and 175 hours of storage – enough to power 500,000 homes simultaneously – which will underpin thousands of megawatts of intermittent renewables.

Named after Australia’s first female electrical engineer, Florence Violet McKenzie (1890-1982), TBM Florence is set to excavate 14.9 kilometres of the 17km headrace tunnel. The 11-metre diameter Herrenknecht-designed machine has been purposely designed to manage hazardous dust and poor ground conditions while tunnelling up to 450 metres underground.

TBM Florence was named by local Berridale student Riley Douch as part of the Snowy 2.0 Tunnel Boring Machine Naming Competition, which highlighted ground-breaking Australian women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
For more information about Snowy 2.0 visit snowyhydro.com.au

News

LAUNCH OF THE SNOWY 2.0 VIRTUAL TOUR

31/01/2022

Snowy Hydro has launched a Snowy 2.0 virtual tour, to provide the public with a ‘window’ into the pumped-hydro megaproject’s key construction sites.

The virtual tour is a web-based platform and is fully optimised for mobile phones – no app download is required.

People can check out the action, world-class engineering and construction progress through the interactive website application, 3D animations, 360 degree panoramic images and unique video content.

Snowy Hydro Managing Director and CEO, Paul Broad, said the virtual tour gave viewers a bird’s eye view of Australia’s largest renewable energy project being built in a remote part of the Snowy Mountains.

“You can navigate your own way around the various sites and simply click on the blue information dots to read about the latest Snowy 2.0 construction activities and see all three of the tunnel boring machines,” Mr Broad said.

“It’s a great tool to raise awareness and knowledge of the project among the community and to share the many construction milestones we are achieving together with our principal contractor, Future Generation Joint Venture.”

The Snowy 2.0 virtual tour has been built using the Esri online mapping application ArcGIS, which gives users access to incredibly accurate spatial data and imagery for both desktop and mobile use.

Take the Snowy 2.0 virtual tour here: https://snowy2tour.snowyhydro.com.au/

Snowy 2.0 project background: Snowy 2.0 will link two existing Snowy Scheme reservoirs, Tantangara and Talbingo, with 27km of waterway tunnels and a power station with six pump-turbines located about 800m underground. Water in the top storage will be released for energy generation at times of peak demand and pumped back at times when there is excess energy in the grid, so Snowy 2.0 is ready to meet demand when needed.

Snowy 2.o will provide 2,000 megawatts of pumping and generating capacity and 350,000 megawatt hours of storage that will underpin Australia’s transition to a renewable energy future.
For more information about the Snowy 2.0 project, visit snowyhydro.com.au

News

ONE KILOMETRE SNOWY 2.0 TUNNELLING MILESTONE

09/12/2021

Snowy 2.0, a nation-building pumped-hydro project that will provide Australia with on-demand, clean, renewable energy and large-scale storage, is celebrating its inaugural tunnelling milestone.

The project’s first tunnel boring machine (TBM), the Lady Eileen Hudson, has passed the one kilometre mark of the 2.6km main access tunnel, which leads to the site of the underground power station cavern.

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said Snowy 2.0 is going from strength to strength.

“Reaching this critical milestone brings Snowy 2.0 closer to delivering 2,000 megawatts of fast-start, dispatchable energy needed to make our grid secure and keep pressure on power prices for Australian families and businesses,” Minister Taylor said.

“Snowy 2.0 will store the excess energy from Australia’s world-leading levels of household solar and use that energy when the sun goes down, enough to power the equivalent of 500,000 homes for over a week during peak demand.

“The project is providing a major job and economic boom for the Snowy region, building on the great legacy of the Snowy Scheme, a national icon.”

Snowy Hydro Managing Director and CEO Paul Broad said the tunnelling achievement highlighted the Snowy 2.0 project’s outstanding construction progress.

“It’s an exciting time in the mountains with Snowy 2.0 – this is a megaproject that’s on-budget and due to produce first power in 2025 as planned,” Mr Broad said.

“Tunnelling at Lobs Hole is going very well, with about 4,500 concrete segments manufactured locally at our factory in Cooma used to create 500 rings to line the first kilometre of the main access tunnel. In total, around 130,500 segments will be produced for the Snowy 2.0 tunnels.

“We are also getting ready to launch our second TBM, named Kirsten, with our principal contractor, Future Generation Joint Venture.

“The progress being made by the project’s growing 1,400-strong workforce is particularly noteworthy given the very difficult scenarios we’ve faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and bushfire impacts over the last year and a half.

“It’s particularly good to see the training and upskilling opportunities Snowy 2.0 is providing, creating lots of apprenticeships and giving local people the chance to work on the TBMs.”

There are three Snowy 2.0 TBMs, which will collectively tunnel more than 27km between Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs. A power station with pumping capabilities will be located more than 800m below ground.

Snowy 2.o’s 2,000 megawatts of pumping and generating capacity and 350,000 megawatt hours of storage will underpin thousands of megawatts of intermittent renewables.

News

SNOWY 2.0 RAMPS UP WITH COMMISSIONING OF SECOND TUNNEL BORING MACHINE

06/12/2021

Snowy Hydro has today achieved another exciting milestone, with the commissioning of the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) for Snowy 2.0, Australia’s largest renewable energy project.

The 11-metre diameter TBM Kirsten, one of the most innovative and technologically-advanced machines in the world, is one of three TBMs that will excavate more than 27km of tunnels for the massive pumped-hydro expansion of the iconic Snowy Scheme.

Snowy 2.0, which is on-budget and due to produce first power in 2025, is fundamental to Australia’s transition to a renewable energy future. Its 2,000 megawatts of pumping and generating capacity and 175 hours of storage – enough to power 500,000 homes simultaneously – will underpin thousands of megawatts of intermittent renewables.

Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad said Snowy 2.0 was creating 4,000 jobs and significant training and apprenticeship opportunities for workers, while providing a major economic boost for the Snowy Mountains region and beyond.

“Our first TBM, the Lady Eileen Hudson, is already a kilometre into the mountain excavating the main access tunnel and now we have TBM Kirsten continuing the tunnelling and construction progress for this amazing project,” Mr Broad said.

“Our growing workforce of almost 1,400 includes hundreds of people from the local region and we have invested more than $70 million with local businesses so far.

“Upskilling workers and investing in the future of our youth will be important legacies of this project so it is very pleasing to see Snowy 2.0 apprentices around site learning their trades and local people having the chance to work on the TBMs.”

Mr Broad, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor, and representatives from Snowy 2.0 principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture, today toured TBM Kirsten at Lobs Hole and watched the cutterhead spin.

Named after NSW astrophysicist and popular science communicator Kirsten Banks, TBM Kirsten is set to excavate the 2.9km emergency, cable and ventilation tunnel (ECVT), which provides alternate access to the underground power station. The 205-metre-long TBM will then bore the 1.4km inclined pressure shaft (IPS) and a 2.4km section of the headrace tunnel.

TBM Kirsten is setting a global standard in tunnel boring technology, just as the original Snowy Scheme developed rock bolting techniques that are still used throughout the world today.

It has been specially designed to excavate the IPS on a very steep gradient (to +47% or a 25-degree angle) so all equipment within the TBM can switch to work on the incline, and the stairways and walkways pivot to remain horizontal.

TBM Kirsten was named earlier this year by local student Kobe Burnes as part of the Snowy 2.0 Tunnel Boring Machine Naming Competition, which highlighted leading Australian women in STEM.

News

FREE TRAINING TO HELP LOCALS LAND SNOWY 2.0 JOBS

12/11/2021

A graduation ceremony has been held today in Wagga Wagga for Aboriginal people who have completed a fee-free skills training program as part of the multi-billion dollar Snowy 2.0 project.

Nine participants in the program celebrated their graduation at an event attended by the Federal Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack MP and Wagga Mayor, Greg Conkey. Another program participant is already employed at the Snowy 2.0 concrete segment factory in Cooma.

The seven-week pre-employment training was an initiative of Snowy Hydro’s Snowy 2.0 principal contractor, Future Generation Joint Venture, and funded by Training Services NSW.

Snowy 2.0 is the largest renewable energy project in Australia and will utilise pumped hydro to significantly expand the Snowy Scheme. It will deliver on-demand power to 500,000 homes at the same time, and large-scale storage to underpin thousands of megawatts of intermittent renewables. Two existing dams are being connected as part of the project through 27-kilometres of tunnels and a new underground power station.

The Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said this was a great example of upskilling people in the regions to benefit from major infrastructure projects.

“This $5.1 billion Snowy Hydro project is expected to create 4,000 jobs over the life of the project, and it’s important that local people get the opportunity to work on it,” Mr Lee said.

The program saw participants learn to carry out and measure calculations, use construction tools and equipment and meet WHS requirements.

Future Generation, in partnership with TAFE NSW, developed the program after consultation with the Aboriginal community, and included yarning circles and Indigenous artworks.

Snowy Hydro Relations Manager Dean Lynch said the training and upskilling opportunities associated with Snowy 2.0 would create an important legacy.

“At Snowy Hydro we have a long-established culture of providing learning opportunities for employees and we are delighted that through Snowy 2.0 we can generate education and ongoing benefits for local and regional communities. This training is helping people acquire skills that make them job-ready and will be great not only for Snowy 2.0, but other construction projects in the future.”

The program is thanks to collaboration between Training Services and TAFE NSW, NIAA, NSW

Aboriginal Affairs, Corporate Connexions, Department of Education Skills & Employment, Job Active providers and all the present and emerging elders who have been directly involved.

News

NEW TRAINEE SURVEYORS JOIN SNOWY 2.0 TEAM

10/11/2021

Snowy 2.0 is generating exciting employment and upskilling opportunities for the local community, with six men and women from the local region recently joining Snowy Hydro’s nation-building renewable energy project as surveying trainees.

The $5.1 billion Snowy 2.0 project is delivering thousands of jobs and significant economic benefit to the local region, with around 1,300 people now working onsite.

The trainee group, employed by Snowy 2.0 principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture, has started formal training in Surveying and Spatial Sciences at TAFE NSW.

The new recruits – Emily Smith (Adaminaby), Trent Thatcher (Tumut), Ian Kilowsky (Jindabyne), Samuel Hayes (Adelong) and Stuart Donlan and Dominic Mooney (Cooma) – are already working across a range of Snowy 2.0 sites.

Future Generation Survey Manager, David Ibbotson, has welcomed the new trainees and is happy to see people entering the surveying industry and training for the future.

“All six of our trainees will learn from our experienced survey team, and I look forward to watching our trainees grow and prove their skills working across our project sites” Mr Ibbotson said.

“I hope they will soon have the skills to guide tunnelling excavations underground and continue their education to complete formal qualifications in surveying and spatial sciences,” he said.

Snowy Hydro Relations Manager Dean Lynch said the Snowy 2.0 training and education opportunities were an important workforce legacy.

“We have always wanted the local community to benefit from this project not only through the business investment and economic boost, but through jobs and training,” Mr Lynch said. “This intake of surveying trainees gives another group of local people the chance to learn valuable skills and establish a career through Snowy 2.0.”

Mr Ibbotson said Future Generation plans to expand the survey traineeships and has encouraged other local people to apply for future positions that could lead to career pathways as survey technicians and assistants.

“I am very encouraged so far by the aptitude and tenacity displayed by the first group of trainees and look forward to watching them exceed and develop in a profession I have personally found constantly challenging and endlessly rewarding,” he said.

Future Generation Training Manager, Aaron Reid, acknowledged Mr Ibbotson’s commitment in attracting the new Snowy 2.0 recruits.

“It is extremely satisfying seeing how our employees are taking care of their own work and are happy to share their knowledge. This represents the spirit of Future Generation JV,” Mr Reid said.

“We are pleased to promote training and apprenticeship programs on Snowy 2.0 and we welcome more enthusiastic and passionate young professionals interested to join the project team. Future Generation is committed to providing skills and opportunities that can be transitioned from the Snowy 2.0 project to the local region and to build individual skills and capabilities,” he said.

Snowy 2.0 is a nation-building project that will underpin thousands of megawatts of renewables and will continue to keep the lights on for generations to come.

Future Generation is a joint venture created specifically to build Snowy 2.0 on behalf of Snowy Hydro Limited. The joint venture brings the combined engineering expertise of three companies — Italy’s Webuild (formerly Salini Impregilo), Australian-based Clough, and US-based Lane Construction.

News

LOCAL PRECAST FACTORY LAUNCHED FOR SNOWY 2.0

18/10/2021

LOCAL PRECAST FACTORY LAUNCHED FOR SNOWY 2.0

Snowy Hydro has launched its new Snowy 2.0 precast factory in Cooma, where 130,000 concrete segments are being produced locally to line the tunnels for the major pumped-hydro project.

Snowy 2.0 is a nation-building project that will underpin thousands of megawatts of renewables and will continue to keep the lights on for generations to come.

The $5.1 billion Snowy 2.0 project is powering ahead, delivering jobs and significant economic benefit to the regions. More than 1,200 people are already working on the project including over 220 jobs during the segment factory construction and operation.

Snowy Hydro CEO and Managing Director Paul Broad said he was pleased to see many locals employed at the factory as part of Snowy 2.0.

“Right from the start, we wanted to build this factory locally rather than import segments from overseas or interstate because it meant local jobs, opportunities and investment,” Mr Broad said.

“So it’s with great pride that we celebrate the official launch of this critical facility for Snowy 2.0 alongside our principal contractor and factory operator Future Generation Joint Venture.”

The factory operations include a concrete batching plant and two automated carousels, producing up to 24 rings, each one made of nine segments, per day.

Raw materials are sourced from the local area to mix concrete within the batching plant, which is then transferred into the factory and poured into specially-designed moulds every 10 minutes.

In a recycling initiative, around 70,000 tonnes of slag – a by-product of the steel manufacturing process – is used to produce the segments. This reduces the amount of cement required by 40 per cent.

The segments will supply the three Snowy 2.0 tunnel boring machines as they excavate and line more than 27 kilometres of tunnels between Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs.

The Lady Eileen Hudson TBM is well underway excavating the main access tunnel (currently more than 600 metres in), and the second machine, TBM Kirsten, is being assembled ready for commissioning and launch.

News

SNOWY 2.0 TBM NAMES ANNOUNCED

13/07/2021

Snowy Hydro is excited to announce the winning names for two of our Snowy 2.0 tunnel boring
machines (TBMs) – Kirsten and Florence.

Students in the Snowy Mountains were invited to nominate groundbreaking Australian women in the
fields of science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) for the Snowy 2.0 TBM Naming
Competition. Almost 3,000 people voted on a shortlist of six influential women, with astrophysicist
Kirsten Banks and electrical engineer Florence Violet McKenzie receiving majority votes.

We congratulate the two students who nominated these influential women: Kobe Burnes (Brungle)
choosing Kirsten Banks and Riley Douch (Berridale) selecting Florence Violet McKenzie.

Our student competition winners will receive prizes including a visit to the Snowy 2.0 construction
site to see their named TBM before it goes underground and a VIP experience for their class at the
Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in Cooma.

The three Snowy 2.0 TBMs now all have names, with the first already titled the Lady Eileen Hudson,
in honour of the original Snowy Scheme ambassador and wife of inaugural Commissioner, Sir
William Hudson.

Tunnel boring machines are always named after women, a tradition stemming from the 1600s when
miners working underground prayed to Saint Barbara for protection.

Snowy Hydro, with its commitment to inspiring students to become the next generation of
innovators, asked local children in school stages 3-6 (years 5-12) to highlight the achievements of
inspiring Australian STEM women as part of the Snowy 2.0 TBM Naming Competition. More than 70
nominations were received from 15 schools throughout the Snowy Mountains region.

Kirsten Banks is an astrophysicist, science communicator and proud Wiradjuri woman. She loves to
share her passion for the stars and is well-known for her short and entertaining TikTok videos about
space and astronomy. Currently she is doing a PhD in the field of galactic archaeology, studying the
stars of the Milky Way to uncover secrets of its formation and evolution.

Florence Violet McKenzie (1890 – 1982), Australia’s first female electrical engineer, is best known for
her contribution to women’s technical education and for creating the Women’s Emergency Signalling
Corps during World War II. She taught women telegraphy so they could replace men in this civilian
occupation, however, she also trained more than 12,000 servicemen in morse code.

Find out more by visiting https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/tbm-naming-competition

News

SNOWY 2.0 POWERED BY LOCALS – FIND OUT MORE!

03/06/2021

Local community members, including business owners, are invited to find out more about Snowy 2.0 project progress and opportunities at an information session being held at the Cooma Car Club on Thursday 3 June, starting at 5.30pm.

Snowy Hydro and Snowy 2.0 principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture, with the support of the Cooma Chamber of Commerce, are hosting the event to provide updates about the project, particularly in relation to jobs and local business involvement.

Hear from the Snowy 2.0 project team about:

Local procurement and the pre-qualification process for suppliers;
Job opportunities for locals;
Current construction activities and news
Traffic management updates.

Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad said Snowy 2.0 was playing a significant role as the Snowy Mountains region bounced back from the lows of bushfires and the coronavirus pandemic.

“There are more than 150 local businesses across the region already involved with Snowy 2.0 and together with Future Generation, we are working hard to provide even more supplier opportunities.

“I’m sure people have questions to ask so I would encourage everyone to come along to the information session to hear the latest news about Snowy 2.0 and learn more about business, training and work opportunities,” Mr Broad said.

There will be formal presentations and Q&As at the Cooma event, plus the chance to speak one-on-one with project team members while enjoying light refreshments.

Snowy 2.0 Business and Community Information Session

Date and time: Thursday 3 June, 5.30pm (for a 6pm start) – 7.30pm

Where: Cooma Car Club, 11 Bolaro St, Cooma

No RSVP required.

News

LOCAL STUDENTS’ CHANCE TO NAME A SNOWY 2.0 TUNNEL BORING MACHINE

26/04/2021

Calling all year 5-12 school students in the Snowy Mountains!

Before Snowy Hydro’s newest tunnel boring machines (TBMs) start digging the Snowy 2.0 tunnels, they need to have names – and we want school students in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council and Snowy Valleys Council areas, and the Corryong township, to come up with their best STEM-related suggestions as part of our TBM Naming Competition.

There are two TBMs to be named, with the first Snowy 2.0 TBM already titled the Lady Eileen Hudson, in honour of original Snowy Scheme ambassador and the wife of inaugural Commissioner, Sir William Hudson.

TBMs are always given female names, a tradition stemming from the 1600s when miners working underground prayed to Saint Barbara for protection.

To be a part of the Snowy 2.0 TBM Naming Competition, students should nominate a ground-breaking or inspiring Australian woman in STEM and explain their choice in 200 words or less. The students whose shortlisted names gain the most public votes are the winners.

Snowy Hydro managing director and CEO Paul Broad said the competition was a fun way to spark children’s interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

“We see our local kids as the future – the next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators at Snowy Hydro,” Mr Broad said.

“Snowy 2.0 is a nationally-important infrastructure and engineering project right here in the Snowy Mountains, so the chance to name one of our massive, 11-metre tunnel boring machines is an exciting opportunity. I encourage local students to get involved in the competition.”

To enter the Snowy 2.0 TBM Naming Competition, local students in years 5-12 should:

Complete the entry form on the Snowy Hydro website by 11.59pm Sunday 23 May 2021.
Nominate a TBM name inspired by a ground-breaking Australian woman in STEM and the reason for your choice (up to 200 words) on the competition webpage.
Provide your parent or guardian’s name, email and street address and phone number so you can be contacted if your nomination is shortlisted for the community online vote.

Snowy Hydro will choose a shortlist from the names suggested by students for a public, online vote in June – keep an eye on Snowy Hydro’s social media channels and the Snowy Hydro website for details.

The two most popular names, as voted by the public, will be used to identify the Snowy 2.0 TBMs and the students who nominated them will receive a visit to the Snowy 2.0 construction site to see a TBM before it goes underground, plus a VIP experience at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in Cooma.

The Snowy 2.0 project is a nationally-significant renewable energy project that will provide 2,000 megawatts of on-demand energy and large-scale storage, underpinning Australia’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Together, the three Snowy 2.0 tunnel boring machines will excavate 27km of tunnels linking Tantangara and Talbingo dams, with a pumped-hydro power station to be built 800 metres below ground.

To enter, and for competition T&Cs, visit the competition page at snowyhydro.com.au

News

COMMISSIONING OF FIRST SNOWY 2.0 TUNNEL BORING MACHINE

19/03/2021

Snowy Hydro today celebrated a major milestone, with commissioning underway for the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Snowy 2.0 project.

The ‘Lady Eileen Hudson’ TBM will soon commence tunnelling for Australia’s largest renewable energy project, the 2,000 megawatt pumped-hydro expansion of the mighty Snowy Scheme.

Named after an important Snowy Scheme ambassador and the wife of inaugural Scheme Commissioner Sir William Hudson, the Lady Eileen Hudson TBM is set to excavate the 2.6km main access tunnel and provide access to the site of the underground power station cavern.

Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad joined Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor and representatives from principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture at the Lobs Hole construction site to inspect the TBM.

Mr Broad said Snowy 2.0 construction had been progressing at a rapid rate.

“The commissioning of the Lady Eileen Hudson TBM is an important milestone for the project and it’s great to see the cutterhead rotate. Tunnelling operations will soon be underway around-the-clock at Lobs Hole, building about 40km of tunnels needed for the project,” Mr Broad said.

“We’ve already got 1,000 people working on Snowy 2,0, including locals from the Snowy Mountains and surrounding areas.

”Overall this project is delivering 4,000 direct jobs and thousands more in the supply chain.

“There are huge economic multiplier effects from our Snowy 2.0 investment, with almost a billion dollars already spent in Australia and more than $55m with 150 Snowy Mountains businesses.

“Snowy 2.0 is critical for the energy market and consumers, and will provide on-demand energy and large-scale storage to underpin Australia’s transition to renewables.”

The Lady Eileen Hudson TBM will excavate two tunnels. Firstly the main access tunnel, and then it will be relaunched underground to excavate the tailrace tunnel to the Talbingo Reservoir intake – for a total of 7.9km.