‘Best around the world’: Inside federal government’s Snowy 2.0 hydro project

Tunnelling work is ramping up on the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project that will provide enough power for half a million homes for more than a week.

Major tunnelling work is ramping up on the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project that will come online from 2025 and provide enough power for half a million homes for more than a week.

The $5bn energy storage initiative will see the existing Tantangara and Talbingo dams connected by a series of new tunnels and a hydroelectric power station nearly one kilometre underground.

A tunnel boring machine has already dug more than 500m of the main access tunnel, with work to commence in November on another tunnel.

The project is being delivered by a joint venture including Italy’s Webuild – formerly Salini Impreglio – which built Melbourne’s City Loop back in 1971 and is now delivering the North East Link, the biggest road project in Victoria’s history.

Snowy Hydro 2.0 project is under way.

Angus Taylor, Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction. Picture: Martin Ollman

Federal Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor met with Webuild chief Pietro Salini in Rome to discuss the project ahead of next week’s Glasgow climate change summit.

“We partnered with the very best around the world and built local skills as a result,” Mr Taylor said.

“That was true of the original Snowy Scheme as it is with Snowy 2.0.”

The project will eventually provide 350,000 megawatt hours of large-scale electricity storage, helping to stabilise the national power grid as more renewable generators come online.

Originally published as ‘Best around the world’: Inside federal government’s Snowy 2.0 hydro project