Work has entered the fit‑out phase at the Snowy 2.0 underground power station, with permanent concrete pours starting nearly 1 km below ground at Lobs Hole. Excavation is more than 90% complete, more than 5,000 people are working on the project, and all six reversible turbines have been delivered. Snowy 2.0 will provide 2.2 GW of capacity and roughly 350 GWh of storage, link Tantangara and Talbingo via 27 km of tunnels, and aims for completion by the end of 2028.
Snowy 2.0 Fit‑Out Begins: Permanent Concrete Pours Nearly 1 km Underground as Turbines Arrive
Snowy 2.0 has taken delivery of all six reversible turbines destined for the underground station.
Construction has moved into the fit‑out phase for the Snowy 2.0 underground power station in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. At the Lobs Hole site crews have begun permanent concrete pours nearly 1,000 metres below ground as teams prepare to install the project's principal equipment.
Progress at Lobs Hole
More than 5,000 people are working on Snowy 2.0. Excavation of the machine and transformer halls is over 90% complete, and internal installation work is now under way. Teams are installing inlet valves and spiral casings designed to channel water to the six reversible generators.
All six reversible turbines for the underground station have been delivered to site, and the high‑voltage power‑generating transformers are in final testing. Crews are preparing to place more than 1,400 precast concrete units that will house power‑generation equipment, including some units built to accommodate transformers weighing in excess of 400 tonnes each.
Project Scope And Significance
Snowy 2.0 will deliver 2.2 GW of generating capacity and approximately 350 GWh of storage — the developer cites an energy-storage equivalent of around 26 million home batteries. When complete, the scheme will connect the Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs via 27 km of tunnels, enabling water transfer and power generation using six reversible turbines. The project has a scheduled completion date of end‑2028 and a design life of 150 years.
"Transitioning into the fit‑out phase of an underground station the size of the Sydney Opera House is a landmark engineering achievement that we're all extremely proud of. This project is a testament to Australian ambition and a vital investment in our energy future." — Dennis Barnes, CEO, Snowy Hydro
Commercial And Timeline Notes
In October 2025 Snowy Hydro directed its principal contractor, the Future Generation Joint Venture, to reassess construction costs. The company is reviewing independent expert advice on the commercial and practical implications of that reassessment while maintaining the target completion by the end of 2028.
This pumped‑hydro expansion is designed to provide long‑duration storage to support the integration of renewables into the grid, shore up electricity supply during periods of high demand and improve overall system reliability.
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