Snowy Hydro's decision to appoint the team, which is called Future Generation, for the civil works on the Snowy 2.0 project follows an 18-month bidding process.
In parallel, two other contracts have also been announced. Voith Hydro has been named as the preferred electrical and mechanical tenderer and Leed Engineering has been awarded the contract for exploratory works pre-construction activities.
Snowy 2.0 will pump water using electricity at times of low demand and store it in the upper reservoir. Then, at times of peak demand when energy is needed most, the stored water will be used to generate and deliver electricity to the grid within minutes.
It will link the two existing Snowy Scheme dams, Tantangara and Talbingo, through underground tunnels and an underground power station with pumping capabilities.
The Snowy 2.0 project will involve underground excavation and tunnelling works between Tantangara and Talbingo to depths of up to one kilometre. It will also involve surface works in several locations including at the intake-outlet structures, surge shaft, cable and ventilation portal sites. A number of supporting works will also be required such as establishing or upgrading access tracks and roads and electricity connections to construction sites.
Hydro-power will be generated by falling water spinning Snowy 2.0’s giant reversible turbines, which can also pump water in the opposite direction. Snowy 2.0’s pumping capabilities work in a ‘closed’ system – water is recycled between the upper dam (Tantangara) and lower dam (Talbingo) so the same water can be used to generate power more than once, making the most of available water. Snowy Hydro already has pumped-hydro capabilities at the Tumut 3 Power Station.
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