Factory Acceptance and Technical Oversight
Following months of design, fabrication, and inspection, TBM Monica passed factory acceptance testing in July at Herrenknecht’s facility in China. Snowy Hydro’s Chief Delivery Officer Dave Evans attended the inspection, joined by SMEC Senior Tunnelling Engineer Nick Chapman. SMEC provides technical oversight on TBM specifications, drive systems, and special features for constructability.
Monica is the fourth TBM deployed on Snowy 2.0 and will excavate a geologically complex section of the headrace tunnel. Its advanced design is tailored to navigate fault zones, squeezing ground, and groundwater ingress. SMEC’s seconded team will support construction surveillance during TBM assembly, tunnelling, and segment installation, ensuring conformance with design and safety standards.
Community rallies to support key milestone
The convoy’s passage through Cooma attracted more than 1,500 spectators, with Snowy Hydro hosting a public viewing event. The scale of the operation and the community’s response reflect the enduring legacy of the Snowy Scheme.
The main drive’s arrival joins other long-lead components including the cutterhead, shield sections, and gantries. These will be assembled in the launch adit at Marica, with commissioning expected early in 2026. Monica’s deployment will expand tunnelling capacity and help maintain the project’s schedule toward its December 2028 completion target.
About Snowy 2.0
Snowy 2.0 is a nationally significant expansion of the Snowy Scheme, linking Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs via 27 kilometres of waterway tunnels to an underground power station.
Between 2017 and 2019, SMEC led the feasibility and reference design phases, shaping Snowy 2.0 from concept to contract award. Since 2019, SMEC has undertaken design review services and seconded a team of multi-disciplinary experts to work alongside Snowy Hydro Ltd, supporting its role as in the client-side delivery. Today, 15 SMEC specialists remain in Cooma, providing guidance and governance across geotechnical engineering, tunnelling, hydrology, environment, and civil engineering.
