Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2920802
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Guthega Tunnel
Opened In
Snowy Scheme
ISLAND BEND, Friday.
The third major step of the Snowy Moun- tains hydro-electric scheme was opened up to-day by Mrs.W.Hudson, wife of the
Snowy Mountains Authority Commissioner.
Mrs.Hudson opened the 3 1/4-mile Guthega
tunnel, which will carry water from Guthega
dam to Munyang power station. By the end of this year, this power station will be supplying 60,000 k.w. of electricity into the N.S.W. inter-connected system.
The ceremony was per-
formed where Norwegian workmen broke through to complete the tunnel last Monday.
About 100 officials of the Snowy scheme and the Selmer Engineering Company to-night made the first train trip through the tunnel in seven diesel-drawn trucks .
The train passengers cheered as the diesel-engine hooter drew attention to the historic parts in the progress of the tough tun- nel job.
The work carried out by the Selmer Engineering Co, Nor- way, was begun exactly a year ago after completion of the pre- paratory stages.
Estimated cost of the Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme had fallen by £20-million since 1952, the Minister for National Development, Mr Spooner, said today.
The tunnel will pipe water from a dam nearing completion
on the headwaters of the Snowy River to a hydro-electric station.
Completion of the tunnel has brought within sight the day
when the first power from the Snowy scheme would be generat-
ed he said.
"The 320,000 k.w. power sta- tion at Tumut Ponds will begin to produce power in 1958," he
went on.
"Within the following two or three years, we will see the di- version of 500,000 acre feet of water a year to the Murrumbid- gee Valley.
"Completion of the Guthega project is only the beginning of the whole vast scheme."
Senator Spooner said that the Government had recently let contracts to American, British, Swedish and French organisa- tions for nearly £30 million.
This was in addition to the £46 million already allocated to the scheme, he said.
"The 1952 estimate of £442 million, instead of rising by some £200 million as the critics
said, has, in fact, fallen by £20 million," Senator Spooner added.
As further units of the scheme came into operation, el- ectricity production and opera- tings costs would become very