Zueblin is building Quilleco's 3.2 km tunnel for Chilean electricity company Colbun. The USD70 million 70 MW run-of-river hydro project is on the Laja river in central-southern Chile's Region VIII. The project is downstream from Colbun's 174 MW Rucue hydro plant. The plant will generate about 464 GWh a year. The 6.6 m-wide 9 m-high horseshoe-shaped tunnel is drilled and blasted from two sides through conglomerates, using two three-boom jumbos, one Atlas Copco and one Tamrock. To date, 200 m has been driven from the exit portal and 50 m from the entrance portal. Support with grouting bolts, welded mesh and shotcrete. Construction will take 28 months and the plant is scheduled to start operations by May 2007. Visit www.atlascopco.com, www.tamrock.sandvik.com and www.zueblin.de 13/05.
