More than 1500 people converged on Cooma on Sunday, October 12 to welcome the latest Snowy 2.0 big rig – one of the largest traffic loads ever transported in NSW.
The main drive of TBM Monica – an integral component of the project’s fourth mega borer – drew an excited crowd of onlookers to Cooma town centre.
Spectators also flanked driveways and homes between Bredbo and Adaminaby to catch a glimpse of the big rig.
The convoy tipped the scales at a mammoth weight of more than 450 tonnes – across five trucks and a trailer, driven by 210 wheels across 35 separate axles.
Snowy Hydro Head of Social Impact and Community Sarah Norris described the transfer as a major milestone for both the project and the community.
“We were blown away by the attendance – it was a truly special evening, with an incredible atmosphere, as people lined the footpaths for the best vantage point to watch,” she said.
“It almost felt like a festival was taking place – we had free hot choccies and coffees and talented musician Leon Fallon on-hand to keep the crowd entertained
“Thanks to everyone who attended, we appreciate there were quite a few little people that stayed up past their bedtimes to witness a little piece of Snowy history.”
The mega transfer evoked memories for some community members of the mighty Thornycroft Antars hauling machinery and construction equipment through Cooma as part of the original Snowy Scheme decades ago.
There are 23 oversize loads being carefully planned and transported to Snowy 2.0 sites over the coming weeks associated with the assembly of TBM Monica.
What weighs more than 137 tonnes, is seven metres wide and is transported by 152 wheels?
An integral piece of Snowy 2.0’s new tunnel boring machine’s cutterhead!
TBM Monica’s centre cutterhead piece was transported through Cooma last Wednesday night en-route to the Marica worksite north of Kiandra.
At 73 metres long, the transfer was a sight to behold as it travelled up Sharp Street bound for the final leg of its journey on the Snowy Mountains Highway.
Snowy Hydro Chief Delivery Officer – Snowy 2.0 Dave Evans said the smooth transfer was the result of months of hard work and planning.
“It’s an amazing sight to watch the huge pieces of our tunnel boring machine travel through Cooma and up to our remote Marica work site,” he said.
“It’s a credit to the project’s hard-working traffic and transport team that we’ve been able to complete this complex operation safely.”
The cutterhead – which is the main excavation tool of a TBM – is too large to move in one piece and has been split into five.
More than 140 big loads have been delivered to the Marica site from Port Kembla in recent weeks.
TBM Monica will become the project’s fourth active mega tunnelling machine, once it is assembled and commissioned in the coming months.
SNOWY HYDRO CELEBRATES $1 MILLION IN COMMUNITY GRANTS
15/09/2025
Snowy Hydro is celebrating a significant milestone, with more than $1 million donated to local organisations in the Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys and Towong regions through the Community Grants Program.
The major achievement highlights Snowy’s ongoing commitment to the communities it operates in and comes as the latest round of funding opens for applications.
Since 2022 the Community Grants Program, which is open to applications twice a year, has supported a diverse range of local organisations and grassroots initiatives, helping to make a tangible difference to rural communities.
Community groups and not for profit organisations across the Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, and Towong regions are now invited to apply for funding.
More than $200,000 in funding is available, with eligible applicants able to apply for grants of up to $10,000.
Snowy Hydro Head of Social Impact and Community Sarah Norris said achieving $1 million in funding was a proud moment and a testament to the work of local organisations.
“This million dollar milestone represents hundreds of important local projects, from upgrades to local facilities, to new equipment for local hospitals. We’re incredibly proud of the organisations we support.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what great ideas are submitted this round and we encourage any eligible group that has an initiative to apply.”
Earlier this year, more than 100 applications were received for the first round of funding in 2025 and this went to improving accessible living infrastructure in Cooma, support for the Tumbarumbra Spring Flower Festival, and the installation of security and technology upgrades at the Corryong Craft Shop.
Funding from Snowy Hydro recently helped local wildlife rescue group, LAOKO, to purchase two large animal enclosures that will provide a safe and secure space for injured and orphaned wildlife to be rehabilitated.
Robyn George, Treasurer, LAOKO, said that as a volunteer-run organisation, any funding they receive makes a huge difference to the outcomes for the native wildlife they care for.
“We don’t receive recurrent government funding, so this kind of support is invaluable. Thanks to this funding from Snowy, our trained volunteers can give native wildlife the best possible chance of recovery before returning them to their natural environment.”
To be eligible for funding, community groups must be a not-for-profit or charity with an Australian Business Number and the project, event or initiative must directly involve or support communities located within the Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys or Towong local government areas.
Applications are open until 12 October 2025, with winners informed in late November. For more information and to apply, visit snowyhydro.com.au/communitygrantsprogram.
The fourth mega tunnel boring machine on the Snowy 2.0 project will be named after a talented Tumut High School student who scooped top prize in an Indigenous art and storytelling competition.
Aspiring engineer Monica Brimmer, 15, wowed the judging panel with a stunning piece that reflected the spirit and purpose of Australia’s largest renewable energy project.
Inspired by flowing water, connected dams, mountains, energy, an underground power station and a connection to Country, Monica’s creation was awarded top marks in the competition, organised by Snowy Hydro in partnership with the Stars Foundation and Tumut High School.
Cheered on by her delighted schoolmates during a special school assembly, Monica said her artwork represented the creation of renewable energy and symbolised a “greener future in which the land and our animals are better cared for”.
“When my name was read out I felt nervous and surprised but also really proud. I had hoped to win the competition but I really didn’t expect it,” she said.
“Knowing there’s something really important to the project out there with my name, in the mountains, is really cool.
“I’ve been interested in engineering for quite a while – and it’s pretty cool to put art and engineering together as part of something I could put my mind to.”
Monica’s winning artwork.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said Snowy 2.0 is a nation-building project and it’s fitting its next tunnel boring machine will carry the name and vision of a young local student and future engineer.
“Monica’s artwork captures the spirit of clean energy and connection to Country and reflects the brighter, cleaner energy future we’re building together,” he said.
“It’s inspiring to see the next generation in Tumut leading the way on creativity for Australia’s clean energy transformation.”
Snowy Hydro Chief Delivery Officer – Snowy 2.0 Dave Evans said the winning artwork perfectly encapsulated the project’s role in underpinning Australia’s clean energy future.
“Monica’s artwork and the story behind it blew all the judges away,” he said.
“The lightbulb shines bright and displays the power that we’re going to generate for the east coast of Australia through Snowy 2.0’s huge 2200MW capacity.
“It also perfectly highlights our workforce who are almost 1 kilometre deep underground in the Snowy Mountains building one of the world’s biggest power stations.”
Tumut High School principal Brad Taylor said the calibre of entrants was “exceptional”.
“Monica is a highly academic student, and someone that we’re very proud of at the school, so I’m not surprised she’s produced such thoughtful artwork,” he said.
Stars Foundation program coordinator Nioka Marlowe said the competition showcased students’ talents and storytelling skills.
“This made clear to these young Indigenous girls that they’re important – and they’re seen – and gave them an opportunity to be on the big stage,” she said.
The TBM will shortly begin its assembly at the Marica work site, located on the Snowy Mountains Highway near Yarrangobilly Caves, ahead of tunnelling starting in late 2025.
Julie and Monica Brimmer celebrate winning the TBM4 naming competition.
GET SWITCHED ON! SNOWY HYDRO’S POWERING UP THE FUTURE COMPETITION IS BACK FOR 2025
04/08/2025
Do you have a bold and innovative idea that will help build a world run on renewable energy? It doesn’t matter if your idea is big or small, local or global – we want to hear from you!
Snowy Hydro’s national science competition is back for 2025, asking kids and teenagers across the country to consider how they would help to build a future powered by renewable energy – with the most innovative and creative ideas winning prizes for both the inventor and their school.
The Powering Up the Future competition continues Snowy Hydro’s commitment to enhancing access to STEM learning opportunities through the Snowy STEM Academy and its focus on inspiring young Australians to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
With four major category prizes for both winners and runners up, the Powering Up the Future competition asks students nationwide to be a Snowy Hydro ‘futurist’ and invent a bold new idea, technology or system that helps save or reuse energy to lower emissions as Australia transitions to a renewable energy future.
Snowy Hydro Education Manager Andrew Burke said it was important to engage the workforce of tomorrow in STEM from a young age.
“Today’s children need to be prepared for the future and this competition is a fantastic way to inspire them to think creatively and develop their problem-solving skills, while considering ideas that will transform the energy industry for generations to come.
“Students will walk away from the competition with more knowledge about renewables and energy transmission, and we hope it will spark their curiosity about a future in STEM.”
The Powering Up the Future Competition calls on students who are in years 3 to 12, aged 8+, to think big or small, global or local. If it helps to build a world that runs on renewable energy, the Snowy STEM Academy wants to see it.
Students can take part on their own, or work with their class for a chance to win prizes such as a class set of robots, 3D printers, and STEM kit subscriptions. The competition opens on 4 August, and closes at midnight on 28 September 2025.
The winning entries will be displayed on the Snowy Hydro website and showcased for the public at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in Cooma.
For more details, including the full terms and conditions, visit www.snowyhydro.com.au/poweringup/
Beyond building one of the most complex and challenging feats of engineering in the world, through its pumped hydro expansion to the iconic Snowy Scheme, Snowy 2.0 is also leaving a skills legacy.
Eight Year 12 students at Monaro High School have become the first NSW cohort to complete a school-based apprenticeship and traineeship (SBAT) program in supply chain operations, all while working on Australia’s largest renewable energy project.
The Cooma students spent one day a week gaining real-world insights and skills at the Polo Flat segment factory, serving as strong foundation for their careers.
Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the project would create a lasting skills legacy while securing Australia’s clean energy future.
“We are incredibly proud to empower local students by offering career-defining opportunities close to home on this once-in-a-generation project,” he said.
Monaro High School principal James Armitage said students embraced the opportunity to step into the workforce while still attending school.
“This SBAT partnership has shown how powerful it is when education and industry come together with a shared goal of supporting young people into meaningful careers,” he said.
Snowy Hydro has partnered with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to expand captive breeding of the endangered Macquarie perch.
Through the Snowy 2.0 Threatened Fish Management Plan, Snowy Hydro has funded the construction of eight new purpose-built aquaculture ponds at Narrandera Fisheries Centre.
This funding will allow for the reintroduction of the species into protected habitats and boost genetic diversity in locations including in the upper Murrumbidgee River below Tantangara reservoir.
Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said Snowy Hydro was committed to environmental stewardship while building Australia’s largest renewable energy project.
“We are pleased to work collaboratively with NSW DPIRD Fisheries to carry out the associated monitoring and research that will improve the resilience of Macquarie Perch in both the catchments where Snowy 2.0 will operate and also across the state,” Mr Barnes said.
“Beyond delivering positive environmental outcomes, Snowy 2.0, with a design life of 150 years, will underpin Australia’s clean energy future by storing excess wind and solar power and delivering it to homes and businesses across the grid when it’s needed most.”
Snowy Hydro’s Kurri Kurri Power Station will recommence testing of the first of its two gas generators on Monday, 21 July 2025. This phase of testing will use gas, which is the generator’s primary fuel and expected to cause substantially less plume and odour than recent diesel testing.
We understand recent testing on the back-up diesel fuel generated visible emissions and an odour that caused discomfort and concern. The level of emissions and odour was not expected and was associated with starting up a brand new generator, combined with strong winds.
After listening to community feedback, we paused this initial phase of testing on the power station’s secondary fuel, diesel. We sincerely apologise for not meeting community expectations regarding providing information about the testing more broadly across the region.
When testing resumes next week on gas, there may be some noise noticed by properties very close to the station, with the potential for a plume and an associated odour during the initial start-up of the turbine. While these impacts will only last a short period and will be dependent on weather conditions at the time of testing, we have also increased the level of air monitoring outside the site boundary.
The nature of turning on a brand new generator for the first time means there is uncertainty regarding how it will perform as we fine-tune the turbines so they operate efficiently when we switch to full operations. Once fully tested, the efficiency of the turbines, which are the latest technology, will result in significantly reduced emissions.
Testing will be undertaken at night and is expected to take 6 to 8 weeks. Improvements to noticeable emissions and odour are expected each week as the commissioning process progresses.
There are appropriately strong rules that apply to the emissions, noise and other impacts from the power station during commissioning and in operation. Snowy Hydro is also working closely with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority to ensure impacts remain within strict environmental limits.
When fully operational, Kurri Kurri Power Station is designed to run only for a minority of the time, when electricity demand is high and renewable generation is limited. It will operate using gas as its primary fuel for the majority of the time, with diesel only being used as a backup.
Kurri Kurri Power Station will play an important role in preventing blackouts and enabling Australia’s decarbonisation. It will provide 660 megawatts of electricity when it’s needed most, allowing more wind and solar generation to enter the grid.
If you have any questions or concerns, call the Snowy Hydro Community Hotline at 1800 570 529, get in touch with us via our social media channels or visit the Hunter Power Project webpage.
Commissioning of Snowy Hydro’s fourth on-demand gas power station has achieved a significant milestone, with the Hunter Power Project (HPP) team successfully firing up one of the station’s two class-leading gas turbines late last week.
Snowy Hydro’s Chief Executive Officer Dennis Barnes said ‘first fire’ is an important milestone, which involves the gas turbine igniting and reaching full speed for the first time.
“First fire is a turning point in the power station’s development that confirms the design, construction and cold commissioning of the turbine has been successful,” Mr Barnes said.
“We’re very proud of the project team, whose hard work and dedication have seen us through a very challenging delivery program.”
To be known as Kurri Kurri Power Station in operation, the project’s gas supply infrastructure is now complete. The station is expected to reach full commercial operation in coming months after experiencing several periods of heavy rain over the past year.
The station’s commissioning program has been impacted by 69 days lost to weather impacts in 2025 alone, including during what was the region’s wettest May in 30 years.
Designed to run only for a minority of the time, when electricity demand is high and renewable generation is limited, Kurri Kurri Power Station will have capacity to provide a significant 660 megawatts of power to the grid. This will help reduce pressure on electricity prices, avoid blackouts and cut around five million tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent gas emissions annually.
”Every megawatt of capacity provided by Kurri Kurri enables three megawatts of renewable wind and solar to come online and replace increasingly unreliable coal generation,” Mr Barnes said.
“This represents real change in our energy system that will deliver important benefits to energy users across the grid, while making a difference in Australia’s response to climate change.”
Kurri Kurri Power Station remains on track to be delivered within its target cost of around $1.3 billion.
Video footage is available here, and images are available on request.
Snowy Hydro is now preparing for the arrival of its fourth tunnel boring machine to join Snowy 2.0 – Australia’s largest renewable energy project.
This 178-metre long machine has been purpose-built to excavate a 5km tunnel through a complex geological area deep in the NSW Snowy Mountains, known as the long plain fault zone, that will eventually connect Tantangara reservoir with an underground power station built almost 1km underground.
The TBM has now passed factory acceptance testing at Herrenknecht’s Guangzhou factory in China, ensuring all its major systems (mechanical, electrical, control and hydraulics) are validated and the machine is ready to be shipped to Australia.
The pumped hydro expansion to the iconic Snowy Scheme, Snowy 2.0’s incredible scale and power will translate 2200MW of capacity to 350,000 MWh of energy, taking the excess electricity produced by wind and solar during the day and delivering it to provide stability to our energy grid when it’s needed most.
Snowy Hydro Chief Delivery Officer – Snowy 2.0 David Evans said the project would play a pivotal role in enabling Australia’s transition to clean energy.
“Snowy 2.0 is essentially a giant battery, providing long-duration storage for wind and solar power to complement the short-duration storage that batteries provide,” he said.
“The successful completion of factory acceptance testing is testament to months of meticulous design, rigorous testing, engineering excellence and collaboration.”
Following a comprehensive review, Snowy Hydro is permanently ceasing its cloud seeding program. This decision follows a review that determined the escalating costs of the program outweighed its benefits.
The review, initially announced in June of last year after a program pause in 2024, concluded that the escalating costs and resources required to continue the program would outweigh any benefits.
Increasing costs were primarily driven by Snowy Hydro’s existing cloud seeding equipment reaching the end of its operational life, meaning significant investment would be needed for it to be replaced.
Rising operational expenses for resourcing and fulfilling regulatory obligations also contributed to the decision.
Snowy Hydro will work with stakeholders to develop a decommissioning plan for equipment removal.
Further Information:
Snowy Hydro has conducted cloud seeding since 2004 to enhance snowfall under suitable conditions. The program was backed by scientific research, independent review, and its operation followed stringent environmental regulation.
SNOWY HYDRO’S 2025 COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM NOW OPEN
03/03/2025
Community groups and not-for-profit organisations across Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys and Towong are invited to apply for funding to support local initiatives as part of Snowy Hydro’s Community Grants Program.
In total, Snowy Hydro has more than $200,000 of funding available to support this year’s program, with groups able to apply for grants of up to $10,000.
Snowy Hydro’s Head of Social Impact and Community Sarah Norris said the Community Grants Program aims to support projects and initiatives that address local needs, connect communities, and deliver long lasting benefits.
“Strong communities are built on ideas, passion, and local action. This program is about just that, by empowering people to bring their ideas to life and make a lasting impact where it matters most,” she said.
“If you have an idea that could make a difference, we encourage you to apply. This support could help you turn your vision into a reality.”
In 2024, the Snowy Hydro community review panel assessed more than 180 applications across two funding rounds, allocating $405,000 to 60 impactful projects.
Past recipients include CUC Snowy Monaro, which used its grant to deliver the ‘Speak Up’ program – helping young people develop leadership and public speaking skills- and Big Brothers Big Sisters in Tumut, which expanded its mentoring program to support more at-risk youth.
To be eligible, groups must be not-for-profit or hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), and operate within the Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys or Towong local government areas.
Applications are open until 11.55pm on Sunday 16 March, with results announced by the middle of the year.
