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

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.

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.

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

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.

News

Australian Govt green lights Snowy 2.0 Main Works

15/07/2020

The Australian Government has given environmental approval for Snowy 2.0’s Main Works, which will create up to 4,000 jobs, drive significant infrastructure investment and underpin Australia’s renewable energy future.

The approvals include almost $100 million in offsets, which will be invested in conservation and recreational projects in Kosciuszko National Park that will benefit the local environment and park users.
Snowy Hydro’s CEO Paul Broad said the Federal Government’s approval on 30 June 2020 now finally cleared Snowy 2.0 to go ahead.

“This is the final approval for Main Works including the tunnelling after a comprehensive and robust assessment process,” Mr Broad said.

“This is a very exciting day for Snowy Hydro and marks a major achievement in our vision to become Australia’s biggest battery and storage for renewable energy.

“Snowy 2.0 will provide 2,000mw of new peaking power and firming capacity that will provide clean and reliable energy to millions of Australians.

“We’re now moving full steam ahead with this vitally important project for Australia’s future.

“Snowy 2.0 is already playing a major part in kick-starting the local economy, with more than 100 local businesses involved and $35 million spent in the Snowy Mountains region.

“To date, more than 500 people are working on the project as we progress the Exploratory Works that have been approved and underway for more than 12 months,” Mr Broad said.

There has been significant project activity at the Lobs Hole work site, with access roads and permanent bridges built, an initial construction camp established and excavations at the main access tunnel portal, in preparation for the first tunnel boring machine, which is expected to arrive in the coming months.

The Main Works will see construction continue to ramp up and will include an underground pumped-hydro power station, a range of tunnels, chambers and shafts, and roads, power and communications infrastructure.

“For a small permanent and mostly temporary construction footprint covering just 0.1% of the park, Snowy 2.0 will deliver 2,000MW of clean energy and large-scale energy storage to support many other wind and solar projects coming online,” Mr Broad said.

“We have been operating in Kosciuszko National Park for more than 70 years and we are committed to seeing it left in better shape for future generations.

“Snowy 2.0 will continue to be a major economic boost for local and regional communities dealing with the double impact of bushfires and COVID-19, with the workforce predicted to total 4,000 over the life of the project.”

News

Polo Flat segment factory for Snowy 2.0 brings local jobs and investment

06/04/2020

The NSW Government today approved the Polo Flat segment factory Environmental Impact Statement giving a green light for construction to start.

The factory in Cooma will produce 130,000 segments that make up the concrete rings that will line the 27km Snowy 2.0 tunnel.

“We fought hard to build the factory locally rather than importing segments from overseas or interstate because it means local jobs, opportunities and investment,” CEO Paul Broad said.

“During the five month construction period we will invest $55 million and create 30 jobs.

“When it is operational it will have an annual turnover of $115 million and create 125 operational jobs.

“We will also be working with Monaro High School to pilot school-based trade training.

“I want to thank the NSW Government who prioritised this announcement during what is an incredibly difficult period.”

Approximately 500 people are already working Snowy 2.0, and at its peak the workforce will be at around 2,000 people.

Thousand more jobs will be created indirectly through supply chains and support services.

“2020 has been an extraordinarily difficult year for Australia, particularly the local area. First we had the devastating bushfires and now COVID19,” Mr Broad said.

“At times like this we need to continue to drive jobs and investment. That is why we have been so determined to ensure Snowy 2.0 continues full steam ahead.

“Today’s announcement that we are starting construction on the Polo Flat segment factory is just another piece of the puzzle.

“The Snowy Mountains is an extraordinarily strong and resilient community. It will bounce back, and Snowy Hydro will be there every step of the way.”