"High pressure water jets are being used to clear rock from the...

"High pressure water jets are being used to clear rock from the shield of the Snowy 2.0 tunnel boring machine (TBM) Florence at Tantangara.

The machine was halted on 16 May due to extremely hard and abrasive rock conditions.

Specialist contractors began their work on 21 May, utilizing high-pressure water streams to break apart the obstructing rock.The decision to stop TBM Florence’s excavation was made to prevent damage to the machine, as cutter disks wore down quickly and the rock pinched the TBM’s shield.

The Snowy 2.0 team is closely monitoring the rock removal process to determine when excavation can resume. They anticipate encountering variable ground conditions as they continue to work on the headrace tunnel, which will connect Tantangara Reservoir to the Snowy 2.0 power station."