The use of high pressure water jets to remove rock impinging on the shield of tunnel boring machine (TBM) Florence at Tantangara is continuing.
This technique, conducted by specialist contractors since 21 May, is working well, with a device mounted on the cutterhead directing a high-pressure water stream at the rock, which breaks apart and disintegrates.
We halted TBM Florence’s excavation of the Snowy 2.0 headrace tunnel in extremely hard and abrasive rock conditions on 16 May. Cutter disks on the edge of the cutterhead wore down very quickly and this, coupled with a curve in the tunnel, caused rock to pinch on the TBM’s shield.
We made the decision to stop tunnelling to ensure we did not damage TBM Florence.
The Snowy 2.0 project teams are monitoring progress of the rock removal so we can restart excavation.
We expect variable ground conditions to continue ahead of TBM Florence in the headrace tunnel, which will connect Tantangara Reservoir with the 2,200 megawatt Snowy 2.0 power station.
In this month’s update, discover what it takes to support a huge construction operation like Snowy 2.0, as we build a 2,200 megawatt pumped hydro power station, more than 27 kilometres of waterway tunnels and other infrastructure.
While drill and blast activities, rock bolting and shotcreting continue underground, excavators work on the intakes and specialist crews operate the tunnel boring machines (TBMs), there are hundreds of people providing critically important support services.
Andrea Musacchio, Services Assurance Manager for Snowy 2.0, takes a look at what goes on behind the scenes of Snowy 2.0.
A major project component is managing truck and light vehicle logistics.
This includes thousands of road safety inspections annually, more than 260 bus trips taking workers to and from site each week and about 780 heavy vehicle movements, such as the distinctive segment trucks carrying locally manufactured tunnel lining segments for the TBMs.
The security team work at the gatehouse controlling site access and scan more than 6,000 people and 3,000 vehicles each week.
There are 20 heavy vehicle convoys a day at Lobs Hole, all managed by traffic controllers.
So far there have been more than 130 escorted loads of very large components delivered to site, some more than 7 metres wide. Few see these loads because they’re completed at night to minimise impact on the local communities and other road users.
The Snowy 2.0 General Services team of 190 people provide support functions that are vital to the day-to-day running of the project.
With a workforce of 3,000 people, many of whom are based onsite, the cleaners are kept busy with almost 2,000 room cleans a week.
And it’s not surprising that there’s 75 caterers – they’re cooking more than 36,000 meals a week. That’s 17,000 eggs, 900 kilos of bacon and 2 and a quarter tonnes of sliced watermelon, just for starters.
The General Services crew conduct repairs and preventative maintenance around the camp facilities and also provide a site bus service that completes around 1,500 trips a week.
Trainers and fitness instructors help organise sporting competitions and oversee thousands of gym visits every month, while the community team provides workforce engagement and communication. There are also hundreds of people in offices managing administration, invoicing and documentation, and organising meetings, rosters and site visits.
UPDATED SNOWY 2.0 BUSINESS CASE REVISES NPV UPWARD TO $3BN
24/05/2024
Snowy Hydro is pleased to release the updated Snowy 2.0 business case presenting the project’s key revenue streams and value to the National Electricity Market (NEM).
Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA), a long-standing expert in modelling the NEM, was re-engaged in mid-2023 by Snowy Hydro to provide updated NEM modelling as input to the updated business case.
While the economic drivers at the time of the project’s Final Investment Decision (FID) in December 2018 have not changed, there are a number of updates and these include:
Revised total cost to complete of $12 billion and a delay to the commercial operation date to December 2028.
Delivery of an additional 200 megawatts or 10% capacity; bringing total capacity to 2,200 MW.
Increased Snowy 2.0 generation, reflecting the greater penetration of variable renewable generation (wind and solar).
The value of Snowy 2.0 to the NEM has increased since FID in December 2018, to $3.0 billion from $2.8 billion. Its completion is critical to supporting the NEM’s decarbonisation and reliability targets.
Snowy Hydro has already contracted 1.75 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar supply which enabled 2.9GW of wind and solar projects. Snowy 2.0 will enable at least another 6GW of renewable energy through its ability to “firm” the intermittent wind and solar energy and transform this energy into cost-effective, reliable electricity supply.
The 350 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy storage provided by Snowy 2.0 through its pump/generate function provides a meaningful step towards the 640GWh of storage identified by AEMO in its 2022 Integrated System Plan as being crucial to absorbing surplus renewable production and maintaining supply during periods of low renewable output.
Located in the NSW Snowy Mountains, Snowy 2.0 is 57% complete, with a workforce of 3,000 achieving good progress across the construction worksites.
At Lobs Hole, tunnel boring machine (TBM) Lady Eileen Hudson has excavated approximately 2km of the 6km tailrace tunnel, and world-leading TBM Kirsten is about to embark on the Inclined Pressure Shaft (IPS) excavation on a steep uphill drive of 1.6km. Stage 2 drill and blast excavation of the power station caverns continues.
When completed, the machine and transformer halls will form one of the largest and deepest caverns in the world, 800 metres underground.
More than 570,000 cubic metres of material has been excavated at the Talbingo intake – where water will exit the tailrace tunnel into Talbingo Reservoir and enter the tunnel when in pumping mode.
At Tantangara, the intake is three metres away from its fully excavated depth of 55 metres and the tunnel linking the intake and gate shaft is underway. TBM Florence is more than 850 metres into the headrace adit.
With progress slowing in very hard rock, the Snowy 2.0 project team ceased excavation by TBM Florence due to rock pinching on the machine’s shield. A specialist contractor has commenced work using high pressure water jets to remove the rock impinging on the machine’s shield.
The 28-metre wide headrace surge shaft at Marica is excavated to a depth of 85 metres, on its way to 250 metres.
The precast factory at Polo Flat, Cooma, is manufacturing concrete tunnel lining segments installed by the TBMs. More than 104,000 have been produced, along with 450 of the 7,000, nine-tonne bespoke segments for the IPS that utilise innovative force activated couplers.
The Snowy 2.0 updated business case was assessed following the revision to the project’s schedule and costs announced in August 2023.
The updated Snowy 2.0 business case is available here.
With progress by tunnel boring machine (TBM) Florence in the headrace tunnel slowing in very hard and abrasive rock on Wednesday 15 May, the project ceased excavation by the TBM on Thursday 16 May due to rock pinching on the machine’s shield. This update on TBM operations was provided within 24 hours of the machine being stopped.
The Snowy 2.0 project team sought immediate advice from a specialist contractor with experience at other Australian projects with the same TBM situation. Today the contractor commenced work using high pressure water jets to remove the rock impinging on TBM Florence’s shield.
Timing for estimated recommencement of excavation will be determined on the successful removal of the rock.
The next TBM Florence update will be provided in the week commencing Monday 27 May.
Tunnel boring machine Florence has been ramping up excavating the Snowy 2.0 headrace tunnel, recently reaching 12 metres per day for a period.
With progress slowing in very hard rock on Wednesday 15 May, today (16 May) the Snowy 2.0 project team ceased excavation by the TBM due to rock pinching on the machine’s shield.
We are currently investigating the best way to relieve this pressure prior to recommencing excavation.
Snowy 2.0 is a major pumped-hydro expansion of the Snowy Scheme and at Marica, high in the Snowy Mountains, a very wide and deep surge shaft connecting to the Snowy 2.0 headrace tunnel is being built.
The surge shaft has two key purposes for the operation of a hydro power station: as a water storage and vacuum relief when the power station starts up, and to absorb the momentum of water movement within the headrace when the power station is shut down.
The Marica surge shaft is about 28 metres in diameter and is currently over 80 metres deep.
During its construction the walls of the shaft are supported temporarily by rock bolts and shotcrete and once it is excavated to its full depth of 250 metres, a permanent concrete lining will be installed from the bottom up.
We are excavating the shaft with a number of excavation methods, including using 36-tonne excavators that place loads of material into kibbles. This material is lifted out and dropped into a dump truck.
An integrated work platform and personnel hoist is in the final stages of commissioning to provide worker access now the shaft is becoming very deep.
In the latest project update, civil engineer and Snowy 2.0 project manager, Richard Clarke, details the significant work undertaken constructing Marica Trail to create a new permanent access road into the surge shaft site.
Marica Trail provides safe, all weather access for traffic, including heavy vehicles.
Building in steep terrain was challenging and required specialised rope access workers to install ground support for safety and stability.
The road has been very carefully constructed in a tight envelope. It’s 6.5 km long, with an elevation change of about 320 metres from top to bottom and multiple water crossings have been created, including over the Eucumbene River.
Over at Tantangara, drill and blast excavation to join the intake and gate shaft is underway from both structures. The transition from the intake changes shape as it is excavated to become the connection tunnel to the gate shaft.
At the same time, we have started drilling and blasting from the gate shaft to merge into the headrace tunnel alignment excavated by TBM Florence.
When completed, water will enter the headrace tunnel from the intake, on its way to the power station.
Snowy 2.0 is being engineered to deliver clean and reliable energy storage and generation for the next 150 years. The target date for commercial operation of all units is December 2028, with first power expected in the second half of 2027.
Update – Thursday 2 May
Reports today that tunnel boring machine (TBM) Florence has stopped tunnelling are incorrect.
TBM Florence remains fully operational and is now more than 800 metres into excavation of the Snowy 2.0 headrace tunnel at Tantangara. The TBM has operated successfully since its restart on 8 December 2023 and has moved through identified soft ground into hard rock.
The total distance tunnelled by all three Snowy 2.0 TBMs across the pumped-hydro renewable energy project is approximately nine kilometres.
As provided in evidence at two recent Senate Estimates hearings, Snowy Hydro has been investigating options to de-risk the headrace tunnel construction by excavating from the other end. This work remains ongoing.
RESPONSE TO NPA REVIEW OF SNOWY 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
12/04/2024
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.
SNOWY HYDRO SHOWCASES STEM CAREERS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS IN TALBINGO
09/04/2024
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.
HAVE YOUR SAY: SNOWY HYDRO LAUNCHES COMMUNITY INSIGHTS CAMPAIGN
05/04/2024
Snowy Hydro is launching a community insights campaign to better understand the social impacts of the Snowy 2.0 project.
The campaign seeks to engage and connect with community members across south-eastern NSW to gather insights, opinions, and experiences related to Snowy Hydro operations and the Snowy 2.0 project.
Through an online survey available at www.snowyhydro.com.au/haveyoursay, we invite residents, stakeholders, and interested parties to share their perspectives and help shape the future of their communities. A series of focus groups, one-on-one meetings, phone surveys and community pop-up stalls will support the online survey.
“This campaign reiterates Snowy Hydro’s commitment to transparent and inclusive community engagement,” said Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes.
“We value the input of our community members and recognise the importance of understanding their needs and concerns.”
The survey, which will be open until 5 May 2024, covers a range of topics, including community sentiment, perceptions of the Snowy 2.0 project, and suggestions for improving Snowy Hydro’s community engagement efforts. Participation is open to individuals aged 18 and above who reside or own property in the Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Towong, Bega Valley and surrounding local government areas.
“We encourage you to take part in this survey and contribute to the dialogue surrounding the Snowy 2.0 project and its impact on our communities,” added Mr Barnes.
“Your feedback will be important in informing Snowy Hydro’s social impact strategy and community engagement initiatives.”
Throughout April, Snowy Hydro representatives will engage with stakeholders in key regional towns, fostering open conversations about Snowy Hydro’s operations and future priorities. The consolidation of survey findings is planned for June 2024, with a publication of key results expected in July 2024.
SNOWY HYDRO BOOSTS NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS WITH COMMUNITY GRANTS OF UP TO $10,000
27/03/2024
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.
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.
FAST FACTS
Number produced = 100,000
Concrete used = About 550,000 tonnes or 230,000 cubic metres
Segment weight = 7 tonnes
Installation method = tunnel boring machine
Equivalent rings (nine segments per ring) = 11,111
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.
