The Bogong Power Development Project, awarded to McConnell Dowell by AGL Southern Hydro, is the largest hydro power project constructed in Australia in 25 years. The construction consisted of a network of tunnels and shafts, plus a new underground hydro electric power station in a picturesque national park near the Victorian ski fields at Falls Creek. The power station forms part of AGL Southern Hydro’s strategic energy framework for the supply of green peak demand power. It harnesses the Rocky Valley and Pretty Valley branches of the East Kiewa River and existing water resources released from the Mackay Creek Power Station to generate 140MW of renewable power. The project included: – 6.5 km of 5 m diameter hardrock tunnel constructed using a tunnel boring machine; – 1.3 km of drill and blast tunnels; – 250 m of 5 m diameter shafts; – 5000 t penstock liners; and – Underground power station construction and installation of two 70 MW turbines. The excavation of the station box is a top-down excavation utilising secant pile walls, rock anchors and excavation in rock to 25 metres below the surface. Approximately 30000 cubic metres of material were excavated. The power station foundations required more than 10000 cubic metres of concrete. Pivotal to the success of the power station construction was the co-ordination of the mechanical equipment including turbines, generators, draft tubes and inlet valves and scroll casings. These massive individual pieces required installation …
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