en.Wedoany.com Reported - TBM Lady Eileen Hudson has completed its tunnel excavation work for Australia's Snowy 2.0 hydropower expansion project after breaking through into the underground cavern complex.
The 2,300-tonne tunnel boring machine, operated by the Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV) for Snowy Hydro, completed the excavation of the 6km tailrace tunnel connecting the underground power station to Talbingo Dam. Prior to this, the TBM had also completed a 2.85km access tunnel.
Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the breakthrough is a significant achievement, considering the challenging geological conditions beneath the Snowy Mountains. He said that in tunnelling, nothing is more exciting than a breakthrough, and this is especially true for Snowy 2.0 given the extremely tough geology encountered. The ground beneath the Snowy Mountains makes every metre of advance difficult, but just like the original Snowy Scheme, it is inspiring to see what Australia can achieve when it takes on its toughest tasks.
FGJV Project Director Fabrizio Lazzarin said successfully navigating the challenging geological conditions of the Snowy Mountains and completing this phase of tunnelling is a major achievement for the entire workforce. This milestone reflects the collaboration, innovation, and engineering expertise applied daily on the Snowy 2.0 project, which is helping deliver a project that will support Australia's energy needs for generations to come.
Tunnelling work continues across the broader Snowy 2.0 development. TBM Florence is approaching the halfway point of its 15km drive. Meanwhile, the project's fourth TBM, TBM Monica, is currently crossing the Long Plain Fault Zone. The two machines are expected to meet underground, after which they will be disassembled on site. Snowy 2.0 is Australia's largest renewable energy project, designed to deliver an additional 2,200 megawatts of dispatchable capacity and large-scale energy storage to the National Electricity Market.
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