Snowy Hydro acknowledges and thanks the National Parks Association of NSW’s ongoing attention to matters relevant to Kosciuszko National Park, including the construction of Snowy 2.0.

As a longtime operator of the Snowy Scheme within Kosciuszko National Park, we recognise the park is a sensitive environment with high conservation values that require protection. We continue to seek ways to make positive contributions to Kosciuszko National Park through actions such as road improvements and a $100 million investment to improve the biodiversity and recreational values of the park. 

Snowy Hydro takes its environmental management obligations very seriously and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that the construction and operation of Snowy 2.0 is carried out in a manner that is compliant with all applicable laws and project approvals. 

The NPA refers to Snowy 2.0 environmental management plans, the project’s Independent Environmental Audits (IEAs), and state government compliance actions.

There are six management plans yet to be approved and these relate to the management of environmental impacts during the Snowy 2.0 commissioning and operations phase only, which is a couple of years away, not current construction activities. Despite this, progress of each of these plans is well advanced and are either awaiting input from relevant stakeholder organisations or are being revised following formal feedback. Snowy Hydro is actively engaging with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) on the progress of each plan.

Snowy Hydro undertakes more IEAs than are required under the project approvals due to the sensitive nature of the environment and the scope of the Snowy 2.0 project. Of the 12 non-compliances identified from 372 elements assessed under the most recent IEA,  none caused any actual harm and all are being rectified as a matter of priority.  

The Snowy 2.0 project has been the subject of several compliance actions by EPA and DPHI over the last two years and in each case, important lessons have been learned that have informed improvements to policies, procedures and site practices. Snowy Hydro continues to take these matters very seriously and implement steps to ensure that identified incidents do not happen again. 

Snowy 2.0, a pumped-hydro expansion of the Snowy Scheme, will provide 2,200 megawatts of on-demand, dispatchable energy and almost a week of renewable energy storage to help maintain grid security and reliability while enabling Australia’s decarbonisation.

More than 60 local year 10 students have participated in a Snowy Hydro careers day at Talbingo and gained insights into exciting career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). 

Students and teachers from Tumut High School and McAuley College took part in the Snowy STEM Academy initiative, working with engineers, climate scientists, and tradespeople to explore careers in the renewable energy sector.

The group went behind the scenes for an in-depth look at Australia’s largest pumped-hydro facility, Tumut 3 Power Station, and enjoyed a career panel with a question and answer discussion and hands-on activities.

Students also attended elective presentations based on their STEM interests and chose from drone technology, environmental science, trade skills, and engineering options. They even had the opportunity to operate a mini power station.

This STEM-focused initiative reinforced Snowy Hydro’s commitment to supporting regional education and developing the future workforce. 

It showcased the diverse range of careers available in STEM fields, providing real-life tangible outcomes that will help students make informed decisions about their future education and career paths.

“We were excited to open our doors to local students and give them a glimpse into the world of renewable energy and STEM careers,” said Snowy Hydro Area Manager Peter Symons. 

“Snowy Hydro is committed to supporting education and fostering the next generation of STEM professionals and tradespeople.”

Inviting students to experience a working power station aligns with the broader initiatives of the Snowy STEM Academy, which aims to bridge the gap between education and industry, preparing students for future opportunities in the renewable energy sector.Snowy Hydro encourages interested teachers and parents to find out more about the Snowy STEM Academy, by visiting www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowystemacademy.

Snowy Hydro continues its strong commitment to supporting local communities by announcing the opening of the first round of funding for its 2024 Community Grants Program. Through this bi-annual program, Snowy Hydro supports not-for-profit organisations and community groups to foster social, economic and regional resilience across the Snowy Mountains.

In 2023, Snowy Hydro proudly provided $300,000 in community grant funding to various projects, including care packs for cancer patients, improvements to the Gudja Gudja cultural reserve, playground equipment, a youth mentoring program, new displays for heritage museums, and support for many local events and festivals.

The Snowy Hydro Community Grants Program attracts numerous applications each round, reflecting the region’s high demand for funding support.

To increase the chances of success, applicants must align their submissions with Snowy Hydro’s four community commitment pillars: education and development, health and wellbeing, regional capacity building, and environment. All applications must address the specified assessment criteria and meet the eligibility requirements.

Funding opportunities are available across the three Local Government Areas (LGAs) where Snowy Hydro operates its hydro assets. Grants of up to $10,000 are on offer to support local projects, festivals, events, and initiatives that contribute positively to the communities of the Snowy Mountains and surrounding areas.

Interested parties are encouraged to submit their applications online through the Snowy Hydro website.

Notably, for the 2024 funding round, Snowy Hydro has introduced a new application system to streamline the process. The grant platform allows applicants to register and have their own dashboard to track the application. Application saving and returning is possible, and additional members of your group can be invited to provide input into the application. 

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, 7 April 2024.

For more information about Snowy Hydro’s Community Grants Program, visit: https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/communitygrantsprogram/

A community open day has been held at Tumut High School to celebrate the official launch of the inaugural Stars Foundation Tumut Program, sponsored by Snowy Hydro.

Students, parents, community members and local Indigenous Elders attended the Tuesday 12 March event, along with representatives from the Stars Foundation, Tumut High School, Department of Regional NSW, Snowy Valleys Council and Snowy Hydro.

The partnership will provide long-term improved health, education and employment outcomes for Indigenous girls and young women from Tumut and the surrounding region.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the company’s three-year sponsorship for the Stars Foundation Tumut Program continued Snowy’s commitment to initiatives that supported young people’s education and wellbeing.

“There are 39 students involved in the first year of the Stars Foundation Tumut Program and we look forward to engaging with these inspiring young women in a variety of ways, including encouraging their studies in science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) fields.

“We’re keen to highlight the many career pathways with Snowy through work experience, apprenticeships and traineeships.

“Snowy Hydro is a major local employer in the Snowy Mountains region and we are committed to supporting and investing in the success of local people.”
Founder and CEO of Stars Foundation, Andrea Goddard, said: “Stars is delighted to be working with the Tumut community and we welcome the opportunity to support and empower the First Nations Tumut students to identify their goals and reach their full potential.
“We are very grateful for the commitment from Snowy Hydro to enable us to establish this new Stars program for the Tumut community.”
Established in 2015, the Stars Foundation provides a holistic, intensive, full-time mentoring program that supports and empowers more than 3,020 female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women in primary and secondary schools across six states and territories.

If you’re interested in the latest updates from the Snowy 2.0 project, come along to information sessions being held throughout the Snowy Mountains this month.

The Snowy 2.0 delivery team, led by Snowy Hydro, is hosting events in Talbingo, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Adaminaby and Cooma, with opportunities to find out more about the project, ask questions and provide your feedback.

These in-person events will cover a range of topics including:

• project news and construction activities 
• engineering innovations and manufacturing
• traffic management, environment and safety
• accommodation, recreation access and other local issues; 
• local suppliers, jobs and training on Snowy 2.0.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said it was essential local people were updated about progress on Snowy 2.0 and that they understood the significance of the project.

“What’s being constructed right here in the mountains is a critically important renewable energy project that will help maintain Australia’s grid security and reliability well into the future,” Dennis said. 

“It is a large and complex project that’s also generating jobs and significant investment in regional areas.

“We’re committed to keeping our local communities informed about Snowy 2.0 and responding to any concerns. We are available to answer questions at our information sessions so I encourage people to come along to hear from the project team directly.”

The Snowy 2.0 community information sessions are held twice yearly. Some are drop-in sessions, with the chance to speak one-on-one with project team members from Snowy Hydro and principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture. Other events feature a formal presentation followed by community Q&As.

Community information sessions schedule:

Date	Town and location	Time
Thursday 14 March 2024 Thursday 14 March 2024	Talbingo shops Tumut River Brewing Co	12pm – 2pm 6pm – 7.30pm
Friday 15 March 2024	Near Tumbarumba IGA, The Parade	12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 20 March 2024	Adaminaby Bowling Club	6pm – 7.30pm
Thursday 21 March 2024	Cooma Car Club	6pm – 7.30pm

The Snowy 2.0 Cooma precast manufacturing facility has hit another significant milestone and completed production of 100,000 of the 130,000 concrete segments needed to line 27 kilometres of tunnels for the pumped-hydro megaproject. 

More than 230,000m3 (or more than 550,000 tonnes) of concrete has been used to manufacture these seven-tonne precast segments, installed by the three tunnel boring machines (TBMs) used on the Snowy project. 

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said it was pleasing for the project to be manufacturing and investing locally, while also providing employment opportunities. 

“About 200 people from the 3,000-strong Snowy 2.0 workforce work at the precast factory operated by our project contractor Future Generation Joint Venture,” Dennis said. “The facility supports local employment and also on-the-job training for a number of school-based apprentices from Monaro High.”   

The precast facility includes a concrete batching plant and onsite laboratory to check the quality of every segment produced. Many of the raw materials like aggregates are sourced from local quarries at Mt Mary and Nimmitabel.

Careful consideration and design of the concrete mix, which includes waste material, has meant significant reduction in the environmental production footprint while improving the segments’ durability and performance.

Carousels utilising robotics to automate the process of demoulding, cleaning and application of the release agent on the segment moulds have been used in the manufacturing process.

One of the two carousels has now been modified to produce the precast segments for the Snowy 2.0 inclined pressure shaft (IPS). This very steep 1.65km shaft will be excavated by TBM Kirsten and will link the underground power station with the headrace tunnel coming from Tantangara.

The IPS segments involve a world-first force-activated coupling system (FACS) designed to withstand the powerful internal forces of water moving through the 10-metre diameter inclined tunnel.

Installing segments with FACS eliminates the need for a second tunnel lining, thereby improving the quality, safety and the rate of tunnel completion. 

The Snowy 2.0 precast factory will produce approximately 9,000 IPS segments, with nine used in each tunnel-lining ring. The first ring prototype has been completed, with mass production expected to start next month.

The new Snowy 2.0 power station will boast the latest in hydro technology, delivered by our expert subcontractor Voith Hydro. In the latest project update, Snowy 2.0 mechanical engineer Mahali Heffner details how quality assurance activities and factory acceptance testing is carried out on each power station component.

Every one of the hundreds of pump-turbine-generator components undergoes rigorous testing before it leaves the Voith factory. This is to ensure they meet high quality standards and will operate reliably when the power station is switched on.

A team of Snowy Hydro and independent assessors recently conducted mechanical and hydraulic dimensional checks on the first Snowy 2.0 runner at the Voith factory in Shanghai, China.

The runner is the heart of a hydro turbine – it’s the rotating element that drives the generator to produce power.

Acceptance testing includes checking the profile of the blades and surface examinations.

Dye penetrant testing is used to identify imperfections on the surface of the 31 tonne, 4.2 metres-wide runner. We spray on a red dye, clean it and apply the developer. If imperfections are present, the dye will make them visual.

Snowy Hydro and contractor Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV) work with Voith and other subcontractors on a range of quality assurance activities as part of the multi-stage manufacturing process.

At Lobs Hole in the Snowy Mountains, power station components including turbine guard valves, spiral cases and draft tube liners are being progressively delivered to site.

Meanwhile, deep underground, excavation of the machine hall and transformer hall cavern crowns have been completed and we’ve almost finished the final side slashing to widen the structures. Drill and blast works are also continuing in the cross passages and tunnels that are an important part of the power station complex.

At the other end of the project at Tantangara, the intake is really starting to take shape. We are well into stage two of the excavation, now approximately 49 metres below ground level and approximately six metres to go. 

We map the cut face to determine what rock support is required and then after the design is confirmed, rock bolts and shotcrete are installed. It’s exciting to see the shape of the transition from intake to tunnel, with the canopy tube rock support in the intake face forming an arch above the tunnel entrance. 

Drill and blast of the tunnel excavation is scheduled to start soon and the first milestone target will be to link up the intake with the gate shaft. 

Following the success of the inaugural Snowy Hydro Local School STEM Fund in 2023, the funding program focused on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) excursions will run again in 2024. Snowy Hydro will extend the opportunity for Snowy Mountains and Cessnock schools to apply for grants of up to $10,000.

Recognising that today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, Snowy Hydro plays a pivotal role in supporting teachers and students by aligning educational programs with industry expertise.

Last year these grants provided thousands of students and 18 Snowy Mountains schools – primary and secondary, both public and private – hands-on interactive STEM experiences.

The program is part of Snowy Hydro’s ongoing commitment to local regions, which already supports various STEM initiatives, including a First Nations Science Camp, the development of a robotics club, 3D printers, an aquaponics project and the enhancement of school resources for the next generation of innovators.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said: “Snowy is dedicated to fostering education opportunities in and out of the classroom and assisting in developing career pathways.
“The funding is just one example of Snowy Hydro’s ongoing commitment to education and development in support of STEM, particularly among our local communities.”

The funding program complements Snowy’s successful Snowy STEM Academy, the annual Science of the Snowy Scheme Competition, and the unique tailored programs for local schools.

Applications for the 2024 Local School STEM fund open Monday 26 February and must be lodged by Monday 25 March.

Local schools can apply for funding of up to $10,000 to support science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) related excursions, student sponsorship, equipment, and camps.

All applications must be completed online via the Snowy Hydro website.

For more information about Snowy Hydro’s Local School STEM fund and to apply visit: https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/local-school-stem-fund-2024/

Deep underground at Lobs Hole in the Snowy Mountains is the heart of Snowy 2.0, the pumped-hydro expansion of the mighty Snowy Scheme. It’s where we’re building a huge power station complex that will house equipment capable of generating 2,200 megawatts of renewable energy.

In this month’s update we’re celebrating a major power station construction milestone – the breakthrough blast of the machine hall cavern crown.

With excavation of the crown – or ceiling – of the cavern taking place from both ends, the final three metres of rock are drilled and charged with explosives according to a precise blast plan.

The tunnels are cleared and the shotfirer arms the electronic blasting system which uses a unique electrical pulse to initiate firing of the explosives.

According to Snowy 2.0 project director Dave Evans, the machine hall achievement signals further progress after the recent transformer hall cavern crown breakthrough and restart of tunnel boring machine Florence in the headrace tunnel at Tantangara.

“These milestones are only possible with the whole team working together as one, whether they are subcontractors like Orica, the company managing underground blasting operations, or the lead contractor Future Generation and Snowy working so closely together.”

To see the latest Snowy 2.0 project’s statistics, view the fact sheet here.

As the underground drill and blast works continue, the manufacturing of major hydropower components for Snowy 2.0 is also well underway.

Snowy Hydro senior quality engineer Victor Teo is based for part of the year in Shanghai, where Voith Hydro – the company producing major power station equipment for Snowy 2.0 – has a large facility. 

He also travels to nearby cities including Zhuji and in his quality and compliance role, participates in factory acceptance tests and hold point inspections for components being fabricated by subcontractor Shenke such as the draft tube liners and cones, and the huge stator frames.

The draft tube liners funnel water into and out of the power station turbines and are comprised of six segments. They are 4.6 metres high, 30 metres long and weigh 40 tonnes when assembled.

The six stator frames that house the generator are fabricated in two halves and are welded together for a total weight of more than 400 tonnes. 

Snowy Hydro has an integral part to play in establishing high standards of equipment manufacturing, which meet the engineering requirements for our critical Snowy 2.0 project infrastructure.

Snowy Hydro has released its 2023 Sustainability Report, underscoring the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility, community support, and the ongoing pursuit of clean, sustainable energy solutions.

The report outlines Snowy Hydro’s Sustainability Program, which aligns with the company’s integral role in Australia’s renewable energy future. It highlights three prioritised sustainability opportunities for 2023-24:

• Understanding and mitigating risks associated with climate change 
• Emissions reduction and facilitating the decarbonisation of the National Electricity Market (NEM) 
• Strengthening relationships with Traditional Owners and communities where we operate

Snowy Hydro is a major contributor to the reshaping of the NEM to support the transition to a cleaner, low-carbon economy. The company aims to be a driver and enabler of least-cost NEM decarbonisation. 

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said reliability, security of supply, and supporting a sustainable transition would remain the central considerations behind how the company operates, develops and maintains its nationally critical infrastructure.

“As Australia undergoes significant changes in its energy markets, Snowy Hydro remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering clean, sustainable, and affordable energy, contributing to a brighter and more sustainable future for all,” Mr Barnes said.  

“We are already reducing our low emissions intensity profile by investing in new generation technology and materially increased renewable capacity. 

“Investments in the Snowy 2.0 and Hunter Power Projects, the Renewable Energy Procurement Program, and the development of green hydrogen capability directly support that purpose.”

Mr Barnes said energy purchased through Snowy’s wind and solar offtakes continued to grow. The offtakes will deliver approximately 5,200 GWh annually and exceed Snowy Hydro’s expected long-term hydroelectric generation.

The new wind and solar generation Snowy Hydro is enabling will displace more than 33 million tonnes of CO2 per annum. This equates to a 28% reduction in NEM emissions from 2022 levels and approximately 13% of Australia’s total emissions reduction target for 2030.

Mr Barnes today also announced the signing of a further 100 megawatts of renewable capacity from Squadron Energy’s Uungula Wind Farm over 10 years.

“This adds to the 200 megawatts over 15 years that Snowy signed with the project in 2022. 

“We are proud to continue supporting important projects like Uungula Wind Farm which will produce enough renewable electricity to power more than 220,000 homes, and will prevent more than 560,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.”

Snowy Hydro has developed and sold products within a new environmentally-focused product class for its commercial and industrial customers, which includes some of Australia’s largest shopping centres, universities, banks and property managers.

The 2023 Sustainability Report outlines our commitment to supporting local communities through employment, education and environmental responsibility.

Snowy Hydro actively fosters diversity and inclusion, aiming to increase female representation in the workforce (currently at 42.5%), particularly at senior levels.

Snowy Hydro has a long history supporting the local communities in which it operates. This includes partnerships and sponsorships with not-for-profit organisations, community grants programs, contributing to local infrastructure, and economic investment in communities. The Snowy Hydro 2023 Sustainability Report is available to download on the Snowy Hydro website.

In December’s Snowy 2.0 update, Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes recaps progress and key events throughout the last 12 months.

The review and reset of the pumped-hydro Snowy Scheme expansion project has been a major milestone in 2023.

The reset has put Snowy 2.0 on a robust and sustainable footing, with new contract arrangements in place and a revised cost of $12 billion. The full commercial operation date for the new 2,200 megawatt power station is December 2028.

The focus for the project is prioritising safety and environmental outcomes while achieving construction program targets.

Meanwhile tunnel boring machine (TBM) Florence is underway again at Tantangara after a significant period paused in soft ground conditions after a surface depression formed above the cutterhead. Following an extensive process of ground stabilisation, the project has recently received NSW government approval for a planning modification, enabling the machine to restart tunnelling the headrace adit.

Progress highlights for 2023 include TBM Lady Eileen Hudson being relaunched in July to excavate her second tunnel for the project – she’s now one kilometre into the tailrace tunnel.

There are more than 2,700 people employed on Snowy 2.0 and a total of 20 million hours have been worked to date.

Drill and blast excavation of the power station cavern crowns is well underway from both ends of the machine and transformer halls and we’re seeing large power station components manufactured by Voith Hydro delivered to site.

Senior electrical quality engineer Victor Teo is in Shanghai, China, where Voith is fabricating some of the key electrical components for Snowy 2.0, including stator bars, rotor bars and poles.

The stator bars are bent to a precise shape and highly specialised insulation tape is applied by both machine and technician. These bars are part of the generator which is connected to the transformer to deliver electrical current.

Insulation resistance and short circuit tests are conducted on every bar to ensure compliance with our engineering requirements and Australian Standards.

468 stator bars are needed for each of the six pump-turbine generator units, so over 3,000 of them including spares will be produced.

There is always a member from the Snowy Hydro team in China to conduct quality assurance activities, monitor progress, act as a conduit to close out technical issues and to conduct Factory Acceptance Tests

Snowy 2.0 project manager and environmental engineer Emily Martin is at Tantangara, where TBM Florence is tunnelling in slurry, or closed, mode. This mode utilises the onsite slurry treatment plant and allows the team to pressurise the ground around the TBM to provide additional stability.

The intake excavation works at Tantangara are progressing well, with stage 2 well underway.

This involves another 78,000 cubic metres of drilling and blasting earthworks, along with rockbolt installation and shotcreting.

The intake excavation, which is where water will enter the headrace tunnel, is currently about 35 metres deep and it will be extended to a total depth of 55 metres.

Tunnelling of the Snowy 2.0 headrace adit at Tantangara has restarted following NSW government approval for the project’s planning modification.

Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Florence’s initial advance commenced last week. Tunnelling is being conducted in closed (slurry) mode and progress is slow and steady. The project has engaged specialist experienced personnel to manage this process.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes welcomed the milestone, which comes after a delay caused by soft ground conditions and the emergence of a sinkhole above TBM Florence.

“We were very pleased to receive the green light for tunnelling at Tantangara to recommence and to allow remediation of the subsidence area,” Mr Barnes said.

“The conditions of approval were developed through the extensive review, public consultation and determination process, and will be strictly adhered to as we get back underway with excavation of the tunnel.

“The Snowy 2.0 delivery team is acutely aware of its responsibilities working in the sensitive environment of Kosciuszko National Park. We are focused on achieving excellent environmental outcomes throughout construction of this pumped-hydro expansion of the Snowy Scheme and critical infrastructure for Australia’s transition to renewable energy.”

The modification approval extends the project’s western boundary above the TBM at Tantangara. This will enable close monitoring of surface conditions as TBM Florence advances. Surface monitoring will continue until there is at least 100 metres of overburden (distance from the TBM to the surface).

In preparation for the restart of tunnelling at Tantangara, extensive geotechnical investigations were carried out on the headrace adit alignment, along with ground improvement works.

Elsewhere on the project: 

• At Talbingo, the Snowy 2.0 project continues to make good progress with excavation of the tailrace tunnel. TBM Lady Eileen Hudson has excavated approximately 1,000 metres since its relaunch in July. 
• Manufacturing of Snowy 2.0’s six pumped-hydro units that will generate up to 2,200 megawatts of power for Australia’s electricity grid is in full swing. 
• Five of the six 153 tonne spiral cases have been manufactured, along with four draft tube liners and cones, three main inlet valves and other major power station components, including the first turbine runner. One of the 13 metre long, 7.5 metre wide spiral cases was recently delivered to Lobs Hole, making a 442-km night time journey from Port Kembla to the Snowy Mountains.