| Pumped storage Solid construction progress is occurring at the
project, Snowy Hydro has recently said, despite the temporary halt of one of the project’s TBMs following the discovery of a surface depression. In December TBM Florence, which is digging the headrace tunnel at Tantangara, was transitioning from soft material into harder rock conditions when a depression developed on the surface above the machine. At the time, Snowy Hydro said the integrity of the tunnel had not been compromised, and tunnelling was continuing while work to remediate the surface depression was carried out. A safety exclusion zone had been imposed around the surface depression. Now in response to a report by the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, a statement on Snowy Hydro’s website said the TBM is temporarily paused while plans to remediate a surface depression above the Tantangara adit are finalised. “Across the project, and as anticipated, the ground conditions encountered by the Snowy 2.0 TBMs are highly variable, ranging from soft, sandy ground to extremely hard rock,” the statement says. “Complex and variable ground conditions are not unusual in such projects. Snowy Hydro and the Snowy 2.0 EPC contractor, Future Generation Joint Venture, are focused on delivering the project safely and in a manner respectful of the sensitive environment, while managing impacts caused by external events including Covid-19, high material costs, global supply chain constraints, labour shortages across the Australian construction industry and ongoing weather conditions. “Commercial claims on construction projects are also common. As with other major infrastructure projects, Future Generation Joint Venture has experienced significant impacts from Covid resourcing and supply chain challenges. Claims submitted to Snowy Hydro by the contractor continue to be assessed and paid appropriately, in accordance with contractual requirements.” Snowy Hydro said progress is occurring across
a large number of Snowy 2.0 work fronts. At Lobs Hole, the Talbingo intake is well under way, the main access tunnel excavation by TBM Lady Eileen Hudson is completed and the emergency, cable and ventilation tunnel excavation by TBM Kirsten is close to completion.
It added that the Snowy 2.0 budget of A$5.9 billion (US$4 billion) remains unchanged since the project approval. In late January, it was announced by GE Hydro Solutions that all four units at the 1.2GW Jinzhai pumped storage power plant in China were successfully connected to the grid and have completed 15 days of trial operation. GE was selected in 2017 by Anhui Jinzhai Pumped
Storage Power Co., LTD, one of the divisions of State Grid Xin Yuan, to supply four new 300MW pumped storage turbines, generator-motors as well as the balance of plant equipment for the Anhui Jinzhai pumped storage power plant located in the Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, China. The first two units were connected to the grid in October 2022. The 1.2 GW project, being developed by Anhui Jinzhai Pumped Storage Power Co., LTD, one of the divisions of State Grid XinYuan, will play a role to help China achieve its goal to build more than 200
www.waterpowermagazine.com | March 2023 | 39
pumped storage stations with a combined capacity of 270GW by 2025. The project annual generating capacity represents about 1.4 times the annual household electricity consumption in Jinzhai. Acting as a sustainable large-scale energy storage system, the Jinzhai pumped storage station will save up to 89,500 tons of coal and reduce 179,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
In January, it was announced that rPlus Hydro has
reached a major milestone at its proposed 900MW Seminoe pumped storage project in Wyoming with the submission of its Final License Application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), This is a milestone that only six pumped storage projects have reached in the United States since the year 2000. The Seminoe Pumped Storage project, which is
expected to provide 10 hours of full-output energy storage capacity, represents a substantial benefit and investment in Wyoming’s energy infrastructure. The project is also a crucial component to the reliability and dependability of the regional transmission grid as it moves towards greater reliance on renewable energy sources like solar and wind. With an estimated construction cost of approximately $2.5 billion, the project expects to create up to 500 highly-skilled construction jobs in Carbon County over four to six years. Once operational, the project will provide an estimated 35 full-time skilled positions to the area and generate approximately $9 million in additional annual tax revenue for state and local governments. “Seminoe Pumped Storage will be an ideal match for Wyoming’s excellent wind energy resource, and will support Wyoming’s role as an energy leader,” noted Matthew Shapiro, rPlus Hydro CEO. “It can also help ensure efficient utilization of new transmission lines that are, or will soon be, under construction, such as the Gateway lines and TransWest Express.” rPlus Hydro’s submission of its Final License Application is the culmination of a multi-year study and approval process which includes in-depth engineering designs, environmental assessments, and community engagement. The filing of this application will kick off a robust environmental review and licensing process with local, state, and federal agencies. The submission of the Final License Application is the first of several major milestones for rPlus Hydro coming in 2023. The company expects to submit a Final License Application for its White Pine Pumped Storage project, a 1000MW project located in White Pine County, Nevada in the coming months. ●
Above: Aerial view of the Jinzhai Hydro Plant, China Image courtesy of GE Renewable Energy
Below: rPlus Hydro has submitted a Final License Applicationto FERC for its 900MW Seminoe Pumped Storage project located in Carbon County, Wyoming, US
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