Snowy Hydro says it should be able to resume construction on its massive Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project in six weeks, pending new EPA approvals.

The project involves building a 17 kilometre tunnel to connect an underground power station to the Tantangara Dam in the Kosciuszko National Park. However, work has been at a standstill since December due to a tunnel boring machine, named Florence, becoming stuck in unexpectedly soft rock just 70m into the tunnel.

To ensure the project adheres to the highest standards, Snowy Hydro plans to seek a modification of the environment approval for the work, aiming for best practices rather than mere compliance.

The company will submit extensive data for public exhibition in the coming weeks.

Snowy Hydro's CEO, Dennis Barnes, stated that boring could recommence in four to six weeks if the approval is granted, with the commissioning of a slurry plant to enable Florence to tunnel through the soft rock.

However, concerns have been raised about potential damage to the Kosciuszko National Park. 

Ted Woodley, a spokesperson for the National Parks Association, highlighted the existing damage caused by the project and expressed the desire to prevent any further harm to the park.

Assuming approval is obtained, the tunnel work may take an additional three years to complete, as long as the tunnel boring machine can maintain an average progress rate of 15m per day. 

The Snowy 2.0 project, announced in 2017 by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, aims to achieve 2,000 megawatts of storage capacity through water pumping and release between Snowy Hydro's dams. 

The project's initial costs of $2 billion have significantly increased, and the completion date has been pushed back to 2029-30.

CEO Dennis Barnes, who joined the company in February, is expected to provide an updated cost estimate for Snowy 2.0 by the end of 2023. 

This estimate may include the option to expedite drilling on the head-race tunnel by starting from the other end. However, this change would require additional approvals, such as determining where the spoil from the other end would be deposited.

In other developments, Snowy Hydro has confirmed that explosive technicians from Orica failed to locate a missing detonator and booster, prompting an investigation by WorkSafe NSW. 

Barnes acknowledged the possibility that the items were double-packed and may never be found. 

Furthermore, an investigation is ongoing into the death of contractor Alan Machon, who tragically lost his life in April when his truck left the highway, rolled, and caught fire. The Queanbeyan coroner's court will conduct an inquest into the incident.