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Snowy 2.0 hydro finish faces two-year delay AUSTRALIA – The Snowy 2.0 project could be delayed by up to two years because of ongoing problems, according to the developer Snowy Hydro. Snowy Hydro CEO, Dennis Barnes, said


four factors had caused delays, and likely cost increases to the project in New South Wales. These are: soft ground that halted tunnelling at Tantangara; some technically complex design elements requiring more time to complete, making the final design now more expensive to construct; the Covid-19 pandemic; and, the effect of global supply chain disruption and inflation impacting the cost and availability of a skilled workforce, materials, and shipping. The project owner has been working


with principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV) to reset the delivery timeline and budget. The earliest the project could be in full commercial operation is now expected to be December 2028, but it could be delayed more, possibly by further year, to December 2029. In December 2022, TBM ‘Florence’, the


third and final machine launched for major tunnelling on the project, stopped boring on the headrace tunnel, after a surface depression developed on the surface above its location at Tantangara. The TBM was transitioning from soft material into harder rock at the time. It had bored about 150m and was at a depth of 30m. The depression was around 9m deep. The New South Wales Government has


imposed conditions on Snowy Hydro before tunnelling can resume. A Department of Planning and


Environment spokesperson told T&T: “Snowy Hydro must prepare a modification report demonstrating how the project can safely progress without further environmental damage. It will also need to include further geotechnical studies and detail how it will stabilise and remediate the site. That modification report will be placed on public exhibition once received for community feedback. “Tunnel boring at the Tantangara location


is on hold until the Department gives approval for operations to continue.” Snowy 2.0 is Australia’s largest


renewable energy project. It will link Tantangara Reservoir (top storage) with Talbingo Reservoir (bottom storage) through 27km of tunnels and a power station with pumping capabilities. This will enable water to be released for energy generation at times of peak demand and


pumped back to the top storage when there is excess renewable energy in the system, ready to generate again. Snowy Hydro said that, despite the


setbacks, progress was being made on the hydropower scheme. “TBM Kirsten has tunnelled 2.9km to


reach the underground power station cavern complex and we now have access to this site from both ends. We shortly expect to commence the 6km tailrace tunnel that will feed into Talbingo Reservoir and the excavation of intakes at Talbingo and Tantangara are proceeding very well,” Barnes said.


Contract strategy change for Hudson Tunnel US – The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) has revised its procurement strategy for the Hudson Tunnel Project, in New York, dividing the civil works construction into four packages. The civil works are the largest portion


of the Hudson Tunnel Project, comprising the excavation and construction of a new tunnel under the Palisades in New Jersey and the Hudson River and connecting to Penn Station in Manhattan. The tunnel will have two tubes, each 2.4 miles (3.86km) long. Following feedback from private sector


contractors at a market engagement event earlier this year, GDC decided to split the works into four contract packages rather than continue with plans for one large lot. GDC’s CEO, Kris Kolluri, said industry


feedback indicated the best way to ensure a competitive bidding pool was to divide the largest, most complicated, portion of the project into multiple pieces of work. The tunnel under the Hudson River will


provide a new connection between New York and New Jersey. The project also involves refurbishing Amtrak’s existing 112-year-old North River rail tunnel.


Horizon JV win at Toulouse FRANCE – Horizon, a consortium of Bouygues Travaux Publics (65%), Bessac, Soletanche Bachy France and Soletanche Bachy Tunnels (35%) has been awarded the Lot 4 contract for the Metro Line C project in Toulouse. The contract, worth €352m (US$381m),


includes construction of a 4.16km-long, 8.5m i.d. bored tunnel, and four stations – Montaudran Gare, L’Ormeau, Limayrac-Cité de l’Espace, and Jean Rieux. The works package also includes: three ancillary structures and galleries connecting them


to the main tunnel; and, a 650m-long cut- and-cover tunnel near Montaudran. Horizon says the project’s main


challenges are the phased construction of the cut-and-cover tunnel, through which the TBM will be launched, and interfacing with the viaduct construction site. In February, Tisséo, the public transport


authority for Greater Toulouse, awarded the Lot 2 contract to a consortium of French construction companies Eiffage and NGE, and Lot 3 to a joint venture of Implenia and Demathieu Bard Construction. In early March, Eiffage and NGE were also


awarded Lot 1. Metro Line C is Toulouse’s third metro


line. It is set to be commissioned in 2028. The line will run from Colomiers to Labège with the majority of the route underground – approximately 20km of 27km total length. The line will have 17 new subsurface stations and four surface stations.


WTC’26 in Canada CANADA – World Tunnel Congress 2026 is to be held in Montréal, Canada. The Tunnelling Association of Canada


(TAC) was successful in its bid when the host nation decision was made at the most recent WTC – in Athens, Greece, in May. WTC 2026 will be held over 15-21


May 2026. The theme is ‘Connecting Communities through Underground Infrastructure’. Before then, the next WTC events are –


WTC 2024 in Shenzhen, China; and, WTC 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden. And, much sooner, TAC has its annual


conference, to be held 24-26 September in Toronto. The theme of TAC 2023 is ‘Smart Solutions, Future Growth’. For more information, go to www.tac2023.ca


Contract for Elephant & Castle UK – Transport for London (TfL) has issued the contract notice for the first stage of the Elephant & Castle Station upgrade. The project will be delivered in


two stages: early enabling and civils construction (Stage 1) and fit out/bringing into use (Stage 2). TfL plans to appoint a single supplier to


deliver Stage 1 after a procurement process with a maximum of four bidders. Stage 1 includes the design and construction of new connecting passenger tunnels between the new station box and the existing London Underground Station. The capacity upgrade is a key element of the London Transport Strategy.


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