Civil works |
Global hydropower projects advance resilience
From Tasmania to Lesotho, IWP&DC takes a look at ambitious hydropower projects reshaping landscapes and energy futures. With upgrades and new constructions, these engineering feats promise stronger energy security and improved resilience in the face of environmental challenges
Above: Meadowbank Power Station on the Derwent River, Tasmania by CSIRO, licensed under CC BY 3.0
AROUND THE WORLD, AMBITIOUS hydropower projects are making significant strides in boosting energy security, improving infrastructure, and adapting to environmental challenges. From the spillway upgrades at Tasmania’s Meadowbank Dam to the tunnelling breakthroughs in Australia’s Snowy 2.0 and Lesotho’s Highlands Water Project, engineers are pushing the boundaries of what these energy systems can achieve. As efforts continue across the US and the UK, these projects are not only securing power for millions but also laying the groundwork for a more resilient, renewable energy future. In September, Hydro Tasmania announced it has completed a $16million upgrade of the spillway gates at Meadowbank Dam in the Central Highlands. The newly upgraded crest gates have seen extreme rainfall and have performed well and as expected in these weather conditions. The gates will allow Hydro Tasmania to better manage water levels for lake users and power station operations. The works were carried out over two summers and Community Engagement Advisor Jane Alpine thanked local residents for their engagement with the project team. “We are incredibly grateful for the support the community has shown us as we completed this critical work,” said Alpine. “We know how important Lake Meadowbank is to the community. It offers something for everyone, from supporting key agriculture and tourism businesses to providing summer fun for the whole family.” At Lake Meadowbank, the dam’s spillway is
automatically controlled by two crest gates that sit on top of the dam wall. The upgrade replaced the 20 4.2-tonne hydraulic cylinders that keep these hardworking gates moving with new lighter models from Europe. After consulting with the community, the upgrades
were split into two stages to minimise disruption during peak holiday and irrigation periods. Works were also carried out with the water level as high as safely possible to lessen the impact on lake users. “Doing the upgrades with the water level higher than usual meant we got a shower or two but we knew it was important for the community to be able to use the lake over summer,” said Hydro Tasmania Project Manager Andrew Rumsby. As a gesture of thanks to the broader community, Hydro Tasmania contributed to the recently upgraded
32 | October 2024 |
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Dunrobin Park, including the installation of visitor interpretation. The works are part of Hydro Tasmania’s $1.6 billion
program of upgrades to optimise and modernise its hydropower network over the next 10 years.
Tunnelling work While Tasmania’s Meadowbank Dam upgrades
improve local hydropower resilience, Australia’s Snowy 2.0 megaproject takes a bolder step towards national energy security, addressing fresh tunnelling challenges.
A new tunnel boring machine will be deployed to
help keep Snowy 2.0 on its delivery timeline, subject to approval by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. New ground testing techniques have provided a
better understanding of the full extent of a complex fault zone on the route of the 17km tunnel that will connect Snowy 2.0’s upper reservoir to its underground power station. Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said activating a fourth tunnel boring machine is the right course of action, given that what is now known about the tunnelling challenges ahead has provided the opportunity to mature the design. “We’ve always known the fault zone was there and I’ve said in the past we will need to take action,” Barnes said. ”While the fault zone is not a surprise, further ground testing since the project reset has revealed it is far more geologically challenging than earlier investigations indicated. “We’ve carefully considered a range of options to
get through the fault zone and overcome the initial design immaturity. Bringing in a fourth machine is the best way to keep the Snowy 2.0 on track for its target completion date of December 2028.” A modification for Snowy 2.0’s project approval has been submitted to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, and will be subject to the Department’s independent community consultation and assessment processes. The planning modification seeks approval for a change to construction methods within the project’s already approved work zone. There is no proposal to increase approved land clearing areas, surface or groundwater impacts. Local communities will be consulted about relevant changes to construction methodologies.
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