Construction works on the access roads to the Tina River Hydropower Development Project (TRHDP) dam site (Lot 2-2) and power station (Lot 3-1) is progressing, despite initial delays which included clearance of the final set of Construction Environment & Social Management Plans (C-ESMPs), difficult terrain conditions and bad weather.
Due to naturally steep slopes in many sections, the access roads require significant excavation works removing large volumes of soil. The total amount soil removed so far is equal to 53 football fields with Lot 2-2 excavating 47,762m3 and Lot 3-1, 20,702m3. The removed materials have been transported to designated disposal sites within the construction area to comply with the requirements outlined in the Construction Environmental Management Plans.
Mr Leem, Song Gyu, Planning and Control Manager of Hyundai Engineering Company (HEC) said the current target is to start the main construction work in March 2024 but before that, there is still much work to be completed in preparation such as the Pilot track construction
“We are currently working on a Pilot Track construction to reach the starting point of the dam and tunnel and, will commence the necessary pre-clearance work and earthworks as soon as possible to factor in any potential delays. Due to the silty soil conditions caused by continuous rain, we are unable to utilise scheduled resources (equipment & machinery) and often need to be on standby for long periods until the wet surface dry. After the Pilot Track is finished, we will move onto preparation works such as pre-clearance, felling works and topsoil removal. at the dam and powerhouse sites,” Mr Leem added.
With the daily rainfall causing delays to the work schedule due to the silty soil conditions, HEC has also had to consider safety issues due to difficult terrain of steep slopes and wet surfaces, making it challenging to undertake scheduled activities in several areas simultaneously. To overcome this, the team had to resort to recruiting operators overseas with experience for these situations.
“With the difficult terrain conditions, it requires a highly experienced Excavator Operators. Since it was a challenge for us to hire highly skilled operators locally, we are urgently recruiting operators from other countries. As of May 2023, we have engaged a total of 4 operators internationally,” he added.
Despite the challenges, work on the pilot track is making good progress with excavation works now reaching 2.54km/2.73km to the dam site and 1.10km/1.50km to the power station. Although the completion of the access roads is just one small part of the overall Tina Hydropower project, it is a very vital part, providing the means for workers and heavy equipment to reach the dam site and power station. The pilot track work is set to be completed by the end of June 2023.