Meet the newest Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for Snowy 2.0 - measuring in at 178 metres-long and equivalent to the height of a 50-storey building, with eight trailing gantries, and a cutterhead almost 12 metres in diameter, the new TBM is almost ready to join the project.

This complex machine is one of the most advanced TBMs ever built, specifically designed to overcome the extreme geological conditions, including highly fractured rock, and very high convergences. Key features include an extremely short shield combined with exceptional thrust, and the flexibility to operate in multiple modes, depending on the actual ground conditions.

After recently passing the factory acceptance test at Herrenknecht AG’s facilities, this custom-built giant is getting ready to excavate the most challenging section of the Head Race Tunnel, a 17km long tunnel, connecting Tantangara Reservoir to the Snowy 2.0 power station almost 1km underground.

Next stop: Australia!

  • 12m diameter cutterhead

  • 6,300kW cutterhead drive 

  • 8 gantries supporting continuous tunnelling

  • 9 concrete segments per tunnel ring, made locally in Polo Flat

We are proud to be delivering this iconic project, bringing clean energy infrastructure to life.

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About the Project
 
Webuild and Clough, as part of the Future Generation Joint Venture, are delivering the civil and electro-mechanical works for the Snowy 2.0 Project which will link two existing Snowy Scheme dams, Tantangara and Talbingo, through underground tunnels to the depths of up to one kilometre and an underground power station with pumping capabilities.
 
Snowy 2.0 will provide an additional 2,200 megawatts of dispatchable, on-demand generating capacity and approximately 350,000 megawatt hours of large-scale storage to the National Electricity Market, enough to ensure the stability and reliability of the system during prolonged weather events, such as wind or solar droughts.
 
Snowy Hydro already plays a critical role in ensuring system stability at times of peak demand, and Snowy 2.0 will enhance this existing capability and ensure that it continues to provide a secure and reliable transition to renewables.

Learn more about Snowy 2.0 here.