en.Wedoany.com Reported - Australia's Snowy 2.0 pumped-storage hydropower project has recently reached a major milestone, as the tunnel boring machine (TBM) Lady Eileen Hudson completed the excavation of a 6-kilometer tailrace tunnel and broke through into an underground cavern within the Snowy Mountains.
This 11-meter diameter, 2,300-tonne TBM had previously excavated a 2.85-kilometer access tunnel before boring this 6-kilometer tailrace tunnel, which will connect the Snowy 2.0 underground power station to the downstream reservoir at Talbingo Dam. This marks the project's first TBM breakthrough.
Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes described the achievement as "significant," stating: "We are connecting the entire project. In tunneling projects, nothing is more exciting than a TBM breakthrough. This is especially true for Snowy 2.0, given the extremely challenging geological conditions we have faced. The strata beneath the Snowy Mountains have made us work hard for every meter of progress, but just like the original Snowy Scheme, it is inspiring to see what Australia can achieve when undertaking the toughest tasks."
Progress is also being made by the project's other TBMs. TBM Florence is approaching the halfway point of its 15-kilometer journey, consistently setting personal best records. The fourth TBM, Monica, specifically designed for the complex geological conditions of the Long Plain Fault Zone, is excavating the opposite end of the same tunnel as Florence. The two machines will meet in the middle and be dismantled underground. Barnes noted that the key to the project's growing momentum lies in the skill and dedication of its approximately 5,000-strong workforce.
Snowy 2.0 is Australia's largest renewable energy project and, once completed, will underpin energy reliability and security.
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