Original cost estimate for the complete project was 2bn, todays news report states new completed cost to be 12bn and years late, how do they manage it? pun intended...
Original cost estimate for the complete project was 2bn, todays news report states new completed cost to be 12bn and years late, how do they manage it? pun intended...
Ask the responsible Minister, that's bound to get you the "right" answer and "justification"
Farming out to private enterprise with vested interest.
Tell me about it!!!
I am about to go on the attack with the disgraceful manner in which Reflections manage NSW state owned assets.
I was fishing at Talbingo not so long ago and there was a promotion day outside the post office in the village. I picked up a heap of drilling data and had a chat with some of the drilling people there.
Lots of fancy brochures and even a cardboard model to make of "Florence".
It appears the cardboard model handed out works much better than Florence herself.
She has been stuck for 18 months !!!
Plenty of budget apparently to spend on public relations.......
Over 35 years ago, I was part of a team looking for more Hydro sites. This was a broad brush approach, an we looked at the possibility of Tantangara to Talbingo as a possible site. This option was quickly abandoned because the geology was likely to be difficult. Also, we had a rule of thumb where the length of tunnel divided by the head (difference between reservoir elevations) should be about 3. This site was about 5, meaning that typically the cost of tunnelling would be very high and therefore make the project unviable.
As for the contractural arrangements, my mind still boggles.
Having said all this (and a lot more unsaid), I am pleased that finally someone has started to invest in the future, NOW instead of waiting until we run out of generating capacity. Technically, Snowy 2.0 is really brilliant. It is pushing the limits of technology. Regarding the Electrical and Mechanical equipment, I totally agree with the choice of contractor, even though there was no competitive bidding. They are going to have there hands full getting it right, but I feel sure they can do it.
I have no idea as to the technical ability of the people working on this scheme. This is a worlds best scheme, and the quality of the design and contract management will have to be worlds best as well. Personally, I am glad that I am past it, and unable to work on the scheme, but equally, I am insanely jealous of those who are working on the scheme. My main regret is the lack of information issued by Snowy Hydro. They are between a rock and a hard place (pardon the pun) because the $2 billion and 2024 completion data was announced by Malcolm Turnbull, based no doubt on information supplied by someone who had no idea. The current cost estimates and project times are more realistic, but are still estimates. They could still overrun before project completion..
