2005-2013

Last updated on June 22, 2009

This site is dedicated to all the men and women working at the Niagara Tunnel Project
 

 

 

A special THANK YOU is extended to the following companies and persons
 for allowing access to obtain information and photographs contained herein.
 

 STRABAG INC.

ONTARIO POWER GENERATION

and

THE ROBBINS COMPANY
 

Ernst Gschnitzer - Strabag Inc.
Project Manager Niagara Tunnel Project
 

Alexander Herz - Strabag Inc.
Tunnel Construction Manager Niagara Tunnel Project

Robert Radlinger - Strabag Inc.
Project Administration Manager Niagara Tunnel Project

Johan Viljoen - Strabag Inc.
Project Health & Safety Manager Niagara Tunnel Project

Dean Norton
Public Affairs and Property Management Advisor
Ontario Power Generation
 

 

while the information contained on this site is believed to be accurate
 it has not been reviewed or approved by the above named companies

 

 

As of June 21st 2009
 

Tunnel is 4459.6 meters (14,631 feet) long
continuous roof line over-break of 60 centimeters
average 13 metres per day

Invert Tunnel Concrete Lining is 1050 meters long
average 100 metres per week

 

The over-break above the crown of the TBM Cutterhead - June 13th 2009
 

 

 

The over-break above the crown of the TBM Cutterhead - May 23rd 2009
Although the over-break remains at 2 meters, the bottom layer of the Whirlpool Sandstone Strata has become visible.
As the TBM continues forward it is ascending at a rate of 0.010 %
(10 centimeters for every 1 kilometer), the TBM will begin boring into the sandstone in the near future

 

 

As of April 17th 2009

Intake Grout Tunnel is 298.3 meters (978.6 feet) long
work to extend this tunnel any further has been terminated

 

 Ontario Power Generation - First Quarter Report 2009

The revised project cost is estimated at $1.6 billion
 and the revised schedule targets completion by December 2013.
 

 

 

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for more pictures please visit our Niagara Tunnel Picture Gallery

 

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INDEX

 

 

Introduction

Progress to Date/Current Location

Stakeholders

                                                                    Ontario Power Generation

                                             Strabag Inc.

                                                                The Robbins Company

                                                                                Hatch Mott MacDonald Company

                                                                                    Rowa Tunneling Logistics Company

                                                                                                                McNally International Construction & Marine Company

                                                            Dufferin Construction

                                                                                        Morrison Hershfield Consulting Engineers

                                                                ILF Consulting Engineers

                                                                    Peter Kiewit Sons Company

                                                                               Bermingham Construction Company

 

Strabag Organization Chart - Niagara Tunnel Project

Niagara Tunnel - Technical Facts

Niagara Tunnel - Chronological

Tunnel Intake

Tunnel Outlet

Geology Charts

                                              Rock of Ages Chart

                                                         Silurian Era Rock Chart

                                                                        Strata of the Niagara Gorge Chart

Niagara River & Water Diversion

Need For The New Niagara Tunnel

Ontario Power Generation - Quarterly Reports

Picture Gallery

Related Links

 

 

 

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The St. Barbara Ceremony held inside the Niagara Tunnel on December 4th 2008
The red arrow points to the size of an average man in stark comparison to the immense size of the tunnel
 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

On Friday June 25th 2004, the Ontario Government announced that Ontario Power Generation has been given approval to proceed with the 3rd tunnel under the City of Niagara Falls.

The first two tunnels were built during the 1950's.

On Thursday August 18th 2005, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) announced the selection of the Austrian - STRABAG AG COMPANY to build the $600 million dollar hydro tunnel. The 10.4 kilometer (6.4 miles) water tunnel will run under the City of Niagara Falls from the upper Niagara River to the Sir Adam Beck Power Stations at Queenston at a maximum depth of 140 meters (459 feet). This third tunnel project is expected to be one of the largest tunnels built in North America.

The new tunnel will parallel the existing water tunnels but at a lower depth. The existing tunnels reach a maximum depth of 100 meters (328 feet).

On Wednesday September 14th 2005, the official ground breaking ceremonies were held to announce the beginning of this massive project.

Currently, Sir Adam Beck Power Group generates 2,080 megawatts. Approximately 1,800 cubic meters (63,566 cubic feet) of water per second from the existing twin tunnels and the hydro canal supply the Sir Adam Beck Stations. The new tunnel will divert an additional 500 cubic meters (17,657 cubic feet) of water per second.  

Strabag AG will also undertake remedial work on the former Ontario Power Station, the Ontario Power Station Water Intake Gate House and the former Toronto Power Station increasing the contract cost to $985 million dollars.

The project has now been projected to be completed in 2012 or 2013 from the initial date of 2009.

The course and depth for the new Niagara Tunnel had been predetermined many years ago as a result of the location of the original hydro canal (1921), the subsequent twin water tunnels (1955), the ancient buried St. David's Gorge and urban development.

The hydro canal was initially designed to consist of two canals leading from the Welland River to the Chippawa-Queenston Power Station (Sir Adam Beck #1). The course of the canal dissected the city in an area that was predominately rural at that time. After the first canal was built, the second canal plan was abandoned. The excess hydro land was returned to the city for urban development.

In the early 1950's, twin 14 meter (45 feet) diameter water tunnels were built under the city at a maximum depth of 330 feet nearest Chippawa and slowly rising before surfacing and terminating near Whirlpool Road into an open cut canal. Engineers determined that the existing tunnels and canal would have been too hazardous and expensive to continue as they passed underground through the glacial silt of the buried St. David's Gorge. In both instances the water is channeled on the surface as it crosses the buried gorge through concrete lined trapezoidal sections.

The corridor of land utilized for the location of the twin tunnels was previously owned by the hydro company and/or upon city land that was for the most part undeveloped.

Since the 1950's, the urban development of the City of Niagara Falls has grown exponentially so that today, little if any excess land was available.

History, geology and urban development has dictated the current location of the new Niagara Tunnel with little flexibility. The new tunnel would begin in an area of land near the forebays' of the Sir Adam Beck Power Generating Stations.

The Niagara Tunnel had no alternative than to bore steeply underground in order to tunnel underneath the ancient buried St. David's Gorge and to maintain a safe separation from the existing tunnels . The current path of the Niagara Tunnel is (for the most part) to follow the path of the existing twin tunnels.

The Niagara Tunnel is 14.4 meters (47.2 feet) in diameter at a maximum depth of 140 meters (459.3 feet). Both are unprecedented in size and depth in Niagara. The rock strata at the current depth of the tunnel boring machine is predominately Queenston Shale (mudstone). The reddish-purplish shale is fractured and has resulted in many roof-line rock falls slowing the boring operation. Although test boring samples were conducted in preparation for this project, none uncovered the vertical fracturing in the rock strata that the tunneling crews are currently experiencing.

PROGRESS TO DATE

Current Location of Niagara Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)
 

As of June 21st 2009
 

Tunnel is 4459.6 meters (14,631 feet) long
continuous roof line over-break of 60 centimeters
average 13 metres per day

Invert Tunnel Concrete Lining is 1050 meters long
average 100 metres per week

As of April 17th 2009

Intake Grout Tunnel is 298.3 meters (978.6 feet) long
work to extend this tunnel any further has been terminated

The TBM has ascended to an elevation just below the Whirlpool Sandstone rock strata. The plan is to have the crown portion of the TBM cutter-head cutting into the Whirlpool Sandstone rock strata while the lower portion of the cutter-head will continue to mine in the Queenston Shale rock strata. Currently, the TBM crown is approximately 60 centimeters  below the Whirlpool Sandstone and this gap continues to narrow as the TBM moves forward.

The over-break has been significantly reduced. As the TBM moves forward the crown of the cutter-head will begin to eclipse the Whirlpool Sandstone strata.

Mining entirely within the Queenston Shale as depicted in the diagram on the left will soon change as the crown of the TBM breaks through into a narrow band of more stable but more abrasive Whirlpool Sandstone.

The crown of the cutter-head will be boring through the Sandstone while the bottom portion of the TBM will remain mining in the Queenston Shale strata as depicted in the diagram on the right.  
 

pictures courtesy of Strabag

The Outlet Construction Site (left) is where the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) began the Niagara Tunnel project
The Inlet Construction Site (right) - where the water will enter the tunnel
 

Miners working on the crown of the cutter-head of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) removing falling rock debris before reinforcing the roof line
 

Total Tunnel Length:
10,161 meters long
33,336 feet

 

 

 

 

STAKEHOLDERS

ONTARIO POWER GENERATION

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is owned by the Province of Ontario and is an electricity generation company whose principle business is the generation and sale of electricity in the Province of Ontario. OPG has approximately 11,300 employees. Power generation is produced by nuclear, hydroelectric, fossil and wind. Ontario Power Generation  produced 109 TWh or 70% of Ontario's electricity in 2005.

 

 

 

STRABAG AG COMPANY

Strabag AG is an Internationally world renown engineering and construction company based in Spittal, Austria. It was established by Anton Lerchbaumer is 1835 and has become the largest construction company in Germany and Austria.

Strabag's current CEO is Peter Haselsteiner. The company has approximately 40,000 employees world wide. Revenues in 2005 amounted to €9.8 billion Euros.

Strabag has extensive experience in road construction, structural engineering and other building fields including tunneling, civil engineering, bridge construction, power plant construction, rail construction, environmental technology and specialized underground engineering and project development.

 

 

 

THE ROBBINS COMPANY

With more than 50 years on innovation and experience, The Robbins Company is the world's foremost developer and manufacturer of advanced underground construction machinery.

In 1952 James S. Robbins, the founder of the Robbins Company, built the first successful hard rock tunnel boring machine (TBM).  That success provided the foundation of innovation upon which Robbins continues to build. 

Over the past 50 years Robbins has been involved in hundreds of tunnel boring projects around the world.  Robbins is an international organization with four primary manufacturing facilities, seven international sales & service locations, and representatives worldwide. 

The largest hard rock TBM in the world (14.4 m in diameter) will be designed and manufactured by The Robbins Company.   Austria based Strabag AG, the contractor for the Niagara Tunnel Project, awarded the TBM order to The Robbins Company based in Solon, Ohio USA.  The Robbins tunnel boring machine (TBM) will be an open, hard rock, main beam TBM that utilizes the proven Robbins floating gripper design.  The TBM will be manufactured with a state-of-the-art ground support system.

 

 

 

HATCH MOTT MACDONALD ENGINEERING COMPANY

Hatch Mott MacDonald is an international award winning full service consulting engineering firm offering public and private clients multi-disciplined expertise and comprehensive capabilities in planning, environmental assessments, studies and analysis, design, procurement, construction engineering and inspection, project, program and construction management and facility maintenance and operations.

With more than a century of experience,  Hatch Mott MacDonald has approximately 10,000 employees world-wide providing the absolute best and highest engineering technical service.

Hatch Mott MacDonald is a North American company which has earned a reputation for technical excellence, innovation and client responsiveness on some of the most prominent and challenging projects. They have an extensive record of major accomplishments in the fields of transportation, tunnels, water conveyance, wastewater/CSO, environmental, gas pipelines, buildings and utilities.

Hatch Mott MacDonald's tunneling expertise began over 100 years ago, in the development of the London underground road and rail systems, and Toronto's subway system more than 50 years ago.

Peter Wickens is the current President and CEO.

Hatch Mott MacDonald and Hatch Acres are acting as Owner’s Representatives to Ontario Power Generation on the Niagara Tunnel Project. 

Through six decades, Hatch (which joined with long-time partner Mott MacDonald to create the infrastructure unit Hatch Mott MacDonald in North America in 1996) became prominent in North American transportation when it provided tunneling skills, know-how, design and management to several Toronto Transit Commission subway extensions, the CP Rail tunnel joining Windsor and Detroit, the Schreyer-Award winning CN Rail tunnel between Sarnia and Port Huron, tunnels for the Los Angeles Red Line subway, tunnels for BART in the San Francisco Bay area, tunnel-jacking for the massive Boston Central Artery project, and the recent Schreyer-winner dual-purpose (rail and auto traffic) Whittier Tunnel in Alaska.

 

 

 

ROWA TUNNELING LOGISTICS COMPANY

Rowa Tunneling Logistics AG is a worldwide construction and engineering company specializing in tunneling installations and logistics systems. It is headquartered in Wangen, Switzerland.

Rowa Tunneling Logistics serves tunnel projects around the globe. Rowa logistics systems and back-up equipment have proved themselves in the construction of the Channel Tunnel, in Manapouri (New Zealand) and in Siberia. They have been involved in Swiss projects such as the Vereina Tunnel and the high-performance rail transit through the Alps in the St. Gotthard and Lötschberg mountain ranges. They have been involved in more than one hundred large construction sites, many of them prestige projects.

Strabag has contracted Rowa Tunneling Logistics to develop and manufacture a backup system compatible with the 14.4 meter (47.2 feet) diameter Robbins gripper TBM. This 105 meter (344.48 feet)  long backup unit will consist of four elements on four levels. The first element will consist of a stepper installation while the remaining three are towed on running gears.

Rowa Tunneling Logistics Company will be providing for the essentials required to facilitate the tunneling to proceed in a safe and efficient manner. This includes removal of debris, air ventilation, dust control and mortar installation. In addition to the typical infrastructure components, two rock bolt drilling machines for anchor lengths up to 6 meters (19.6 feet). Two longitudinal displaceable 360° round spray robots are included. The removal of the excavated material will be by way of a conveyor belt assembly.

 

 

 

McNALLY INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION & MARINE COMPANY

McNally International Incorporated and its group of companies was established in 1949, under the name S. McNally & Sons Limited.

Post-war house building was the main activity in the early years but soon changed to heavy civil engineering projects. Since the 1950's, the name "McNally" has become synonymous with difficult and demanding projects.

Throughout the years, McNally International has completed projects including roads, bridges, sewage treatment plants, sewers, and water mains. They are best known for their experience in underground tunnel work.

Tunnel construction is still one of the most exacting sectors of the construction industry. McNally International is recognized as Canada's leading Tunnel Contractor. They built tunnels for water, sewer, steam, subways, power transmission, traffic and pedestrians.

In the 1980's we started McNally Tunneling Corporation expanded operations in the United States. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, McNally Tunneling has completed projects in Birmingham, Cleveland, Houston, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and Columbus.

Construction like many industries has its own cycle of activities. One sector most acutely affected has been marine construction. In the 90's McNally purchased the marine assets of the Beaver Construction Group of Montreal, and started a new company called Beaver Marine Limited based in Nova Scotia. After a couple of years, McNally acquired the marine assets of Canadian Dredge and Dock, Pitts Engineering and MacNamara Marine all major players in the Construction industry in their day. 

Under the new McNally International flag these assets help make up one of the best equipped and manned construction fleets anywhere in Canada.

Together with Beaver, McNally Construction Group is capable of completing marine construction or dredging projects anywhere in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River or Eastern Canada.

McNally International Incorporated with its team of experienced and dedicated professionals is ready for the future.

McNally International - Marine Division is employed at the Niagara Tunnel Project in the preparation and construction of the Upper Niagara River intake.

 

 

 

DUFFERIN CONSTRUCTION

Founded in 1912, Dufferin Construction is part of the St. Lawrence Cement Group, the largest cement producer in eastern Canada. Dufferin is a leader in its own right - Canada's biggest concrete paving company and one of Canada's largest heavy civil engineering contractors. Dufferin Construction has headquarters in Oakville Ontario. One of their many major projects included the building of Highway #407. Dufferin Constructions principal area of operation is Southern Ontario from Windsor to Ottawa.

Strabag has contracted Dufferin Construction for surface and concrete works including the construction of the Grout Gallery Tunnel at the intake site.

 

 

 

MORRISON HERSHFIELD CONSULTING ENGINEERS

Morrison Hershfield is a multidisciplinary engineering and management firm. Engineering and design build services are provided to clients in the Transportation, Building, Life Sciences, Municipal, Utilities and Telecommunications sectors.

Morrison Hershfield Group Inc. is an employee owned organization. It is a corporate holding company with a mandate to operate national and international professional consulting engineering businesses through the Morrison Hershfield Group of Companies.

Morrison Hershfield has been employed in the design of the Niagara Tunnel Project.

At the 2008 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards, Morrison Hershfield Limited won an award for the Water resources & energy production category for their work on the Intake works at the Niagara Tunnel Project in Niagara Falls. 

 

 

 

ILF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

ILF Consulting Engineers was founded by Mr. P.Lässer, M.Sc., and Mr. A.H.Feizlmayr, M.Sc., in 1969. The abbreviation ILF is derived from the German company name "Ingenieurgemeinschaft Lässer-Feizlmayr".

On the basis of its well-tested know-how, ILF has continually extended its mission to all continents. Today, ILF ranks among the world's leading independent engineering consultants; particularly with regard to tunneling, underground construction and pipeline engineering.

ILF has been employed in the design of the Niagara Tunnel Project.

 

 

 

PETER KIEWIT SONS COMPANY

Peter Kiewit Sons Co. was founded in Omaha, Nebraska in 1884. Canadian operations began in 1941 and currently comprise Eastern and Western Districts, with permanent offices in Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

The Eastern Canada District is responsible for all construction work from Newfoundland to Manitoba and Construction Kiewit Cie builds work in Quebec. All other work is performed by Peter Kiewit Sons Co.

The District is certified ISO 9001 and employs 160-180 engineers, superintendents and technicians. An annual university-recruiting program ensures the continuity and growth of the district. Some 300-500 craft employees are hired each year to complement permanent staff.

In recent years, the District has built some of the most challenging work in Eastern Canada, including major participation in the gigantic James Bay hydroelectric complex, the development and ongoing open pit mining of the Raglan nickel mine, the Hibernia offshore oil platform and the Thousand Islands and Humber bridges in the transportation sector.

On March 30th 2006, Ontario Power Generation awarded Peter Kiewit Sons Company a contract worth $17 million dollars for the decommissioning of the retired Toronto Power Generating Station (TPGS), the retired Ontario Power Generating Station (OPGS) Power Generating Stations and the Ontario Power Generating Station Gate House in Niagara Falls.

The work at the three sites includes electrical and mechanical removals of existing equipment down to the thrust deck floor. Additional work includes:

Toronto Power Generating Station - sealing of twenty-three (23) portals and backfilling the inner forebay of the power station. This required the dewatering of the inner and outer forebays by means of a rock cofferdam approximately 80 meters (262 feet).

Ontario Power Generating Station - sealing of the penstock openings

Ontario Power Generating Station Water Intake Gate House - removal of the existing head-gates and concrete seals constructed in their place. This work required the dewatering by means of a sectional stop-log cofferdam.   

Work is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2007.

 

 

 

BERMINGHAM CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Established in 1897, Bermingham Foundation Solutions is an internationally renown company having works in more than 33 countries worldwide.

Bermingham Construction has been instrumental in building the infrastructure of Canada. The company worked on the famous Crow’s Nest Pass for the Canadian National Railway, as well as ports, docks, bridges and highway overpasses all over the country.

Today, the company is active in building foundations for bridges, condominium towers, power plants, water treatment plants, and docks mostly in Ontario and Eastern Canada.

Bermingham is an industry leader and innovator. It is known for developing the StatnamicTM Load test which is used extensively in Asia, North America and Europe.

Bermingham is introducing a revolutionary green technology to North America - geothermal foundations that produce heating and cooling.

Bermingham Construction Company has been employed in the building of cofferdams and steel sheet  pile-driving for the Niagara Tunnel Project.

 

ORGANIZATION CHART - NIAGARA TUNNEL PROJECT
(click above link)

Niagara Tunnel Project
TECHNICAL FACTS
(click above link)

NIAGARA TUNNEL - CHRONOLOGICAL

August 18th 2005 -

Ontario Power Generation awarded a $600 million dollar contract to Strabag AG Company to design and build the new Niagara Tunnel.

September 14th 2005 -

Ontario Power Generation announced the start  of construction of its $985 million dollar, 10.4 kilometer (6.46 mile) Niagara Tunnel project to increase the output of power from Niagara Falls. The Niagara Tunnel project is estimated to cost $600 million dollars and $385 million dollars for remedial and other work costs.

The project involves boring a tunnel 14.4 meters ( 47.24 feet) at a depth of up to 140 meters (459.3 feet) below the City of Niagara Falls . The tunnel will enhance the original engineering accomplishment of the Sir Adam Beck Hydro-Electric Generating Stations - Niagara Group in transporting water from a location up river from the Falls of Niagara to the power stations at Queenston to increase its power output.

The new tunnel will complement the upgrading of the 16 generators at the Sir Adam Beck Power Station #2. This 9 year upgrading project cost $220 million dollars increased the potential peak output by 194 megawatts.

When the new Niagara Tunnel project is completed, it will enable the Beck Power Group to produce an additional 1.6 terawatt-hours of electricity for at least the next ninety (90) years. It will allow enough energy production to serve an additional 160,000 homes and increase power output at Sir Adam Beck by 14%. - enough to meet the annual needs of a city of 700,000 persons.

Currently 1,800 cubic meters of water per second  (63,566 cubic feet of water per second) are available to be diverted to the Sir Adam Beck Generating Stations for power production. The new Niagara Tunnel will allow an additional 500 cubic meters of water per second (17,657.2 cubic feet of water per second) when available to be diverted for power generation.

On average, the Niagara Tunnel project will employ approximately 230 workers however this number will peak to about 350 employees.

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) to be used on the Niagara Tunnel project will be 14.4 meters (47.2 feet) in diameter and will be one of the largest to be used in the world. In comparison the Robbins TBM will be 2½ times the size of the Toronto Subway tunnel and 1½ times the size of the English Channel tunnels.

The Robbins Company will design and manufacture the largest hard rock TBM in the world for the Niagara Tunnel project. It will be an open, hard rock, main beam TBM that utilizes the Robbins floating gripper design. The TBM will be equipped with a state of the art ground support system. The cutter-head will be powered with a 4,725 kW variable frequency drive system that can be increased to 5,040 kW. For optimum performance Strabag has chosen to use Robbins 20-inch cutters mounted in a back-loading cutter-head. Alternately, Robbins 19-inch cutters can be used without modification of the cutter-head. The cutting head will typically revolve at 4 to 10 revolutions per minute (rpm).

The geology is varied consisting of limestone, dolostone, sandstone, shale, and mudstone. The rock strength ranges from 15 to 180 MPa, with most of the rock in the 100 to 180 MPa range. With the exception of sandstone, the geology is basically non-abrasive. Most of the rock debris  (80%) removed from the tunnel will consist of Queenston Shale.

The Niagara Tunnel is expected to advance at a daily rate of 10-15 meters (32.8 feet - 49.2 feet).  Approximately 1.6 million cubic meters of material excavated from the tunnel will be dumped on Ontario Power Generation property between the two existing canals.

The new Niagara Tunnel will follow the same basic route as the existing two tunnels parallel to Stanley Avenue. The new tunnel starts on Ontario Power Generation property at Queenston with a  -7.82% drop over a length of approximately 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) reaching a depth of up to 140 meters (459.3 feet) below the City of Niagara Falls.  Here the tunnel proceeds with a relatively horizontal plane over a distance of approximately 7,400 meters  (24,277.9 feet). The alignment will follow a horizontal curve radius of over 1,000 meters (3,280.8 feet) in length. The tunnel ends on the Niagara River at the International Water Control Dam located one mile upriver from the Horseshoe Falls with an ascent gradient of +7.28% over the final 1,500 meters (4,921 feet).

The inside diameter of the finished tunnel will be 12.5 meters (41.1 feet) and will be lined with 50 centimeters (23.62 inches) of un-reinforced concrete with double layer seal and pre-stressed injection concrete.

The Tunnel Boring Machine will reach its maximum depth of 140 meters (459.3 feet) within the first 1.5 kilometers of operation. The TBM will operate 24 hours a day - 365 days a year on a 3 shift rotation (8 hours) until completed. The Tunnel Boring Machine will be operated by two Chief Operators per shift with a crew of approximately 10 workers onboard. An additional 20-30 men will be employed on each shift for the required surface support.

May 18th 2006 -

Province of Ontario, Minister of Energy - Donna Cansfield on tour of the construction site announced the nickname of the Tunnel Boring Machine as "BIG BECKY". A grade 6 class at Port Weller Elementary School came up with the winning entry to name the TBM. Under the direction of computer and science teacher - Kevin Dyck, his class selected the name after much "brainstorming". They called it BECKY because it is a feminine version that pays tribute to Sir Adam Beck.

August 8th 2006 -

A ceremony attended by Ontario Premier - Dalton McGuinty and other officials was held at the starting location of the Niagara Tunnel Project near the Sir Adam Beck Power Generating Stations. Premier McGuinty threw a switch to turn on the cutter head of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

Importing a European tradition, Doctor Robin Williams - Regional Municipality of Niagara - Medical Officer of Health was named  the patroness of the Niagara Tunnel Project by officials of Strabag AG. Naming a patroness is based upon a religious tradition of St. Barbara - the patron saint of miners, construction workers and engineers. Doctor Williams will keep up to date on the tunneling project and will be a public ambassador for it. According to traditions associated with tunneling, naming a patroness of the tunnel will keep the workers safe.

LEGEND OF ST. BARBARA 

Barbara lived in the 3rd Century AD in Nicromedia, the capital of the Roman province of Bithnia (Asia Minor). She was the only child of Dioscuros, a high ranking and wealthy man. Her father adored her, had her tutored in the best schools of arts and sciences, and set out to reinforce her faith in the Roman- Greek Gods. 

To protect her from foreign influences, he provided sumptuous living quarters for her in a tower. But her very loneliness caused Barbara to think seriously; as a result, she became more and more convinced that the old gods were but a hollow imitation. 

Without her father’s knowledge, she became familiar with the teachings of Christ, and had herself baptized. At that time, Christians were being persecuted nearly everywhere, and considered as enemies of the state. Adherence to Christianity was subject to the severest punishment. 

Dioscuros planned to marry Barbara to a very prosperous man, with a view to increasing the family fortunes. At first Barbara asked for time to reflect. Following his return from a long journey, Barbara explained to her father that she was a Christian and did not wish to marry. She had already removed the different images of Pagan gods from her living room quarters and had replaced them with crucifixes. 

Dioscuros, seeing that his only child had turned to the new religion and that he himself had been placed at a disadvantage, was overcome with rage. He handed over his daughter, as a Christian, to the Roman pro-consul Martianus, a Supreme Court judge, for the assessment of punishment. 

Martianus tried at first by kind persuasion, to make her break with her faith; but when this failed, he had her thrashed and cast into jail. Due to the strength of her faith, her wounds healed immediately. On the following day, she was ordered by Martianus to pay sacrifice to the pagan gods. When she refused, she was mutilated in a dreadful way. When she continued to proclaim her Christian faith, she was sentenced to die by the sword. Barbara went to her place of execution in cheerful ecstasy: with her enthusiasm for her true faith. Her last wish was that God through her experience help all those confronted with and unprepared for a sudden untimely death. 

The Barbarous father was so outraged that he himself severed his daughter’s head! Immediately following Barbara’s death, a terrible thunderstorm arose. As punishment for his monstrous crime, Dioscuros was killed by lightning. This is the story of Santa Barbara in its oldest form.

Later when Christianity had become firmly established, St. Barbara was invoked as a protectress against the perils of lightning. Barbara Day was used as a holiday in the very earliest festival calendar of the city of Cologne. The belief became widespread that Barbara could control lightning and other manifestations of flame and fire. Barbara was adopted as the patron saint of miners most probably because the mining profession had to cope with many hazards to life in those days. Also, the miners formed a large part of those for whom she prayed in the hours of her own death. 

Miners later developed the use of gunpowder for disintegrating rock, involving manifestations similar to thunder claps and lightning flashes. This led to their need for special protection against accidents from the use of explosives, thereby strengthening the reputation of Saint Barbara as their adopted patron saint.

 Saint Barbara was also a protectress of the plague which further strengthened her veneration, mothers would pray for healthy children and miners would mirror that by praying for plentiful blessings in their mining operations: both seeking a bountiful production and an enhanced degree of well being.

There are many churches, mines and works of art named after or produced in remembrance of Saint Barbara. A few examples of note:

Barbara Cathedral in Kuttenberg (Bohemia) built between 1388 and 1518 in the old silver city. This was thought to be the most likely source of the Barbara adoration. The cathedral was built around an already existing Barbara altar in an area with many Barbara altars present. Kuttenberg has for centuries had on its coat of arms St. Barbara above the crossed hammer and gad. [Schlaegel und Eisen-the classical symbol of mining]

Mine names frequently indicated wishes and hopes, in both Freiberg and Marienberg there was a mine named "St. Barbara Bonanza". There is also the "St. Barbara Good Hope Vein" in the Harz Mountains on the German-Austrian border.

August 2006 -

The Regional Municipality of Niagara and Ontario Power Generation drafted an agreement that will see approximately 3.5 million tonnes of Queenston Shale excavated provided to the brick manufacturing industry for free. Queenston Shale is the sole raw material used for the production of clay bricks in Ontario.

August 2007 -

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is nearing the 1,000 meter (3,281 feet) mark. Progress has been extremely slow because of frequent vertical rock falls as a result of unforeseen geological rock structures. It is hoped that the unstable rock sections will soon be behind them as the TBM bores deeper underground . Several rock falls weighing an estimated 10-20 tons have stopped the boring progress for lengthy periods. The maximum depth of 140 meters (459.3 feet) will soon be reached as the TBM reaches the 1,500 meters mark. In order to reduce the frequency of rock falls, horizontal support rods are being installed in the rock above the TBM in advance of the cutter head.

In order to reduce airborne dust pollution at the debris dump site, a containment building has been erected.  

September 22nd 2007-

 The tunnel boring machine (TBM) has reached a milestone of the first 1000 meters (3,281 feet).

January 21st 2008 -

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is approximately 1,650 meters (5,413 feet) and is located at it's maximum depth. It's current location is under the ancient buried St. David's Gorge. Because of very difficult, unpredictable and unstable rock conditions, the TBM has been progressing at forward rate of several meters per day. This unfortunate delay in progress has setback the targeted completion date of this project from 2009 to 2010.

Five - 130 meter deep dewatering shafts from the surface to the tunnel are being drilled near the Whirlpool Road site approximately 1500 meters from the tunnel outlet. Each of these shafts will allow the tunnel to be dewatered using massive mobile water pumps if ever required. Each shaft is approximately 900 millimeters in outside diameter with the inside diameter of 700 millimeters.

March 1st 2008 -

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is 1800 meters (5,905 feet)  with continuous roof-line over break.

March 5th 2008 -

Strabag has announced further delays in the Niagara Tunnel Project. The Tunnel Boring machine (TBM) has been making very slow progress under very unstable rock conditions. Big Becky might have to chart a new course and revise her schedule to make up for time lost while digging through difficult rock conditions. Progress on the Niagara Tunnel Project continues to be slower than both Ontario Power Generation and Strabag AG, the Austrian company hired to build the 10.4-kilometre tunnel, expected, officials with both companies say.

"You're dealing with nature. You can't predict the rock condition for 10 kilometers," said Ernst Gschnitzer, Strabag's project manager, who oversees the construction of a third hydro tunnel under the city of Niagara Falls.

What excavators call "over- break" continues to be the problem, the same situation that slowed progress last year. Once Big Becky, the nickname for the $35-million tunnel-boring machine, cuts a portion of the tunnel, loose rock from the ceiling falls in behind the machine. The cavities will be filled in to make a smooth surface before the tunnel is finished, he said. But for now, removing the rock and digging through "unstable" material is hindering progress.

To compensate for the delays, Strabag wants to alter the alignment of the tunnel, both vertically and horizontally. On the south side of the St. David's Gorge, the tunnel will go higher than first planned. That will allow the excavation to get out of the difficult conditions and into more predictable rock, said Gschnitzer.

According to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, the buried St. David's Gorge is an abandoned channel that has been filled in with a glacial debris including gravels, sands, tills, silts and clays. The ancient gorge is thought to have been 116 meters (380 feet) wide and up to 79.25 meters (260 feet) deep. It has  been estimated at approximately 22,000 years old.

A portion of the tunnel will also be shifted a bit to the east - or toward the Niagara River - from its original alignment, which ran approximately underneath Stanley Avenue.  Strabag has applied for necessary approvals to make that change. The company expects to hear a decision in a few months, Gschnitzer said. The August 2010 target for completion also needs to be adjusted.

"We hope it won't change that much. It will go into 2011," said Gschnitzer. Last fall, Ontario Power Generation's board approved August 2010 as the completion date for the tunnel. When work began in September 2006, Strabag expected it could complete the work by fall 2009.  OPG says Ontario taxpayers are protected from cost overruns because it gave Strabag a design-build contract meaning the company agreed to build the tunnel for a fixed price, said OPG spokesman John Earl. The tunnel work is pegged at $600 million.

At the beginning of March 2008, the TBM had excavated 1,800 meters of the 10.4-kilometre tunnel.

By December 31st 2007, the TBM had excavated 1,609 meters of the tunnel.

By September 2007, the TBM had excavated 1,350 meters of the tunnel, less than half the distance Strabag had hoped for at that point.  Once the TBM excavation reaches 2,300 meters (2.3 kilometers), Strabag will be in a position to reassess how to make up for lost time in the remaining 8.1 kilometers of the tunnel.

May 10th 2008 -

The TBM - Big Becky has reached the 2,000 meter mark.

May 24th 2008 -

The TBM - Big Becky has passed the 2 kilometer point in the Niagara Tunnel Project, but is so far behind that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Strabag AG are reviewing the cost of the $630-million project and its schedule.

"The Niagara tunnel is progressing slower than planned. The drilling conditions have been challenging," president and chief executive officer Jim Hankinson said Friday. OPG is officially sticking to its August 2010 completion target, which had already been revised once from 2009.

But Ernst Gschnitzer, project manager for Strabag, the Austrian company contracted to design and build the tunnel, predicted it won't be completed until much later.

"It's going to be 2012. We don't see any possibility to be quicker, at present," Gschnitzer said.

After 2 kilometers, the TBM is one-fifth of the way into the 10.4-kilometre tunnel that will connect the Sir Adam Beck generating stations to the upper Niagara River, south of Dufferin Islands.

At the end of March, OPG's first fiscal quarter, the tunnel boring machine had advanced about 1,848 meters. That's 239 meters further than where it was at the end of 2007, based on OPG figures.

For the first three months of 2008, Big Becky was digging an average of 2.6 meters a day - considerably slower than what had been hoped could be an average rate of 15 meters a day.
 
As part of the review, three independent experts are examining how the project has gone since work began. They're looking for mistakes that might have been made and ways to improve progress, an OPG official said.  Those experts are expected to consult with both OPG and Strabag in June. OPG expects to have a better understanding of how the cost and schedule will be affected by July.

"We will provide further details about changes in the schedule and the cost when they are available," Hankinson said in a conference call to discuss the Crown corporation's first quarter results for 2008.

Tunnel construction has been slowed by the loose rock conditions under the St. David's Gorge - the area near the whirlpool - that have dogged the project almost since it started. As Big Becky - the nickname for the tunnel-boring machine - advances, loose rock from the tunnel ceiling falls in behind it.  That "over-break" rock has to be removed. The cavities in the rock will be filled in when the tunnel's concrete lining is poured.

"Once we get beyond the St. David's Gorge, we do expect better performance," Hankinson said.

The tunnel-boring machine was 2,077 meters into the tunnel as of Friday, Gschnitzer said. His company expected to be "much further" along than it is now, after 20 months.  "I can't even tell you - several more kilometers," he said.  Removing the "huge amount of over-break material" is the ongoing challenge, he added.

It's impossible to know for certain what rock conditions exist before construction starts, Gschnitzer said. OPG could have spent more than $100 million on a more extensive rock study, he added, but "you would never be able to anticipate these rock conditions 100 per cent."  Strabag has bought more equipment to remove that rock material faster. That reduces the time the tunnel-boring machine loses, Gschnitzer said.

"We have worked on a consistent basis to make improvements. The rock conditions aren't changed," he said.

OPG agrees the pace has picked up.  "In the last couple weeks, our progress has been much better - more like six or seven meters a day," Hankinson said.  OPG's report predicts "considerable uncertainty" about the schedule and cost until Big Becky reaches the 2,300-metre mark, the point when the loose rock is expected to turn to harder rock, reducing the over-break concerns.  Ontario Power Generation plans to review the entire $985-million estimate of the Niagara Tunnel Project. That estimate includes some work OPG is doing not directly related to the tunnel, including the refurbishing of the Toronto Power station on the Niagara Parkway.

On May 29th 2008, the TBM had progressed to 2,114 meter. Now slightly south of the St. David's buried gorge, the TBM was averaging up to 7 meters per day but still experiencing heavy over-break (rock fall from the roof of tunnel).

May 29th 2008 -

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is 2114 meters (9,936 feet)  with continuous roof-line over break.

July 11th 2008 -

Big Becky is behind schedule and potentially over-budget, but the Niagara Tunnel Project is so "integral" to Ontario's electricity supply the government is prepared to pass cost overruns onto provincial electricity customers, Premier Dalton McGuinty says. If there are additional costs that fall to us, that is regrettable. But these things happen from time to time in large-scale construction projects," McGuinty said in an interview Thursday, following a funding announcement at Niagara College. Despite lingering questions about the cost and timetable, McGuinty remained bullish.

"We're absolutely committed to finishing this project. We need that clean electricity," McGuinty said. "We're not going to build another coal plant."

Ontario Power Generation, the publicly-owned electricity producer, and Austrian contractor Strabag AG are now trying to sort out who will pay for expenses if the tunnel work goes above its $600-million budget.

Loose rock conditions have plagued construction of a third tunnel that will divert water from the upper Niagara River to the Sir Adam Beck generating stations since work began nearly two years ago.

It was a problem for the first 2,300 meters of the tunnel, the portion between the Beck generating stations and the St. David's Gorge. As the tunnel-boring machine nicknamed Big Becky inches along, overhead rock falls in from the tunnel roof and needs to be removed.

OPG and Strabag AG met for two days last month with their "dispute review panel," a three-member board created before the project began. The expert panel is expected to make recommendations in September about how to assess additional costs incurred because of the rock conditions.

"In general, it's about the different rock conditions and who is going to be responsible for these rock conditions," said Strabag's project manager Ernst Gschnitzer.

Strabag says the rock is not what the company expected based on geological information OPG provided before the company bid on the contract.

"The rock is different than anticipated," Gschnitzer said. OPG says the contract holds Strabag responsible for overruns. Strabag was given a design-build contract, meaning they agreed to do it for a fixed price of $600 million.

"The contract has been done in a way that as much of the risk has been transferred to the contractor as can be done," OPG's chief operating officer Pierre Charlebois said in an interview. Before asking for bidders, OPG bored test holes in the rock to give them an idea of the type of rock they would be excavating.

"Bore holes tell you one thing," Charlebois said, but doing the actually digging with a 14-metre diameter boring machine is another.

It could mean an increase in electricity rates if Ontario Power Generation is deemed to be responsible for some of the overruns and if they use up the undisclosed contingency fund the provincially-owned generation company included as part of the Niagara Tunnel Project. Under the contract, OPG pays Strabag for progress, meaning payments are made as the tunnel moves forward. Charlebois emphasized it's "premature" now to say whether the project will go over-budget. But if it does happen, OPG will recover its costs through the rates the company charges for power. The rate-recovery process allows OPG to spread those costs over a 100-year period, Charlebois said.

While OPG and Strabag await the dispute panel's recommendations, work continues. Both companies say progress has improved now that excavation is past the St. David's Gorge. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is 2,475 meters into the 10.4 kilometer tunnel. The pace has picked up to an average of eight meters a day from the 2.6 meter average in the first quarter of 2008. But it is still below the 12 meters a day goal set when work began.

July 18th 2008 -

The TBM had tunneled 2,528 meters and was progressing at a rate of 8 - 9 meters daily. The over-break (rock falling from the ceiling) was continuous  

August 22nd 2008 -

The tunnel boring machine named "Big Becky" is taking a short cut. Two years after construction of the Niagara Tunnel Project began, Ontario Power Generation confirmed both the horizontal and vertical alignments will be changed to cut costs and make up for lost construction time.

"The horizontal realignment has been adopted which will reduce the total length by 200 or 300 meters," Pierre Charlebois, Ontario Power Generation's chief operating officer, said Friday.
 
Ontario Power Generation is building a 10.4-kilometre tunnel under the city of Niagara Falls to bring more water from the upper Niagara River to the Sir Adam Beck generating stations in the city's north end. But the Niagara Tunnel Project has been plagued with delays caused by the loose rock in the St. David's Gorge area. As the tunnel-boring machine, nicknamed Big Becky, moves along, overhead rock falls in and has to be removed. It has created what OPG regularly calls "considerable uncertainty" about the $600-million budget and schedule. Plans originally called for it to be completed in 2010, but the contractor has suggested 2011 is more realistic. A realignment was suggested by Strabag AG, the Austrian company hired by OPG to build the tunnel. Original plans called for the tunnel to run north-south, a bit west of Stanley Avenue.

"We have decided to change the horizontal alignment. "We will enter into a curve a little bit sooner," said Ernst Gschnitzer, Strabag's project manager. The new alignment will put the tunnel "more or less under Stanley Avenue," he said. "There is a slight cost advantage. There is an advantage in flow capacity. The tunnel can deliver slightly more water, once it's in service."

Recent excavation has occurred at about seven meters a day. At that rate, a 200-metre short-cut would save about 28 construction days. Strabag also plans to change the vertical alignment of the tunnel - the point at which the tunnel will begin rising toward the surface from its lowest point. Tunneling is taking place 140 meters (459 feet) below the surface to get underneath the St. David's Gorge. The vertical re-alignment has been approved, but not formalized, Gschnitzer said.

Both OPG and Strabag say they believe the pace will quicken now Big Becky has advanced past the troublesome rock conditions of the buried gorge.

It was at the 2,812-metre mark as of Friday (August 22nd), Gschnitzer said.  That's a little more than one-quarter of the length of the entire tunnel.  Ontario Power Generation and Strabag have discussed how to improve the pace.  OPG and Strabag are working through a dispute-resolution process to determine which company will be responsible for additional costs resulting from the delay.

Strabag has said the rock conditions aren't what the company expected based on a geological report prepared by OPG. A three-member panel held a hearing June 23 and is expected to make a recommendation by the end of September.  "The schedule delay and the issues currently being considered by the dispute review board could impact the project cost," OPG's report states.

 

August 27th 2008 -

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is 2862 meters (9,390 feet) into the 10.4 kilometer tunnel with continuous roof-line over break of 1.5 meters. Progress is averaging 8 meters per day.

October 2nd 2008 -

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) is 3,131 meters (10,5073 feet) into the 10.4 kilometer tunnel with continuous roof-line over break of 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Progress is averaging 8 meters per day.

October 20th 2008 -

As a result of an agreement between Strabag and OPG, the tunnel boring machine has begun altering it's course from the original planned path. The new alignment will basically follow a north-south route under the existing Stanley Avenue. The former path followed an alignment underneath the existing twin tunnels west of Stanley Avenue. This former alignment required the TBM to maintain a greater depth to create a safe buffer from the tunnels above.

The Queenston shale continues to be a great source of over-break causing lengthy delays. As the cutting head bores into the rock face, a large amount of unsupported roof shale is collapsing onto the TBM. This causes the stopping of the TBM until the fallen rock debris is removed and the roof stabilized. With the St. David's buried gorge behind them, the rock conditions were hopefully expected to improve: have not. Strabag and OPG have agreed to change the trajectory of the TBM in an upward movement until the TBM reaches a more stable rock strata of Whirlpool Sandstone. Final approval of the change in trajectory of the TBM by OPG is further slowing progress. 

The tunneling is stopped for a six week maintenance period. The tunnel is 3,200 meters in length.

December 2008 -

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge has been walked into position. The first two bays have been lined with the waterproofing membrane and the first concrete pour is scheduled for Friday December 12th 2008.

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge (right) is used
to apply inner tunnel membranes  (left) before concrete is applied
 

December 4th 2008 -

The annual St. Barbara Day celebration is held. No significant injuries have been reported during the past two years of tunneling.

December 10th 2008 -  

The TBM is at 3,222.76 meters (10,573 feet) with a continuous over-break of up to 3.7 meters (12.14 feet). 

December 30th 2008 -  

The TBM is at 3,296.6 meters (10,815 feet) with a continuous over-break of up to 3.7 meters (12.14 feet). The TBM is gently ascending at a rate of 0.100% (rising one meter for every one kilometer). Rock over-break continues to prevent efficient tunneling progress.

Currently, the TBM is pushing (moving) forward at a rate of  0.8 meters (80 centimeters) because of the heavy over-break rather than a usual push of up to 1.5 meters (150 centimeters). Although the TBM is capable of pushes of 4 meters (400 centimeters) or more, it is restricted in order to allow the mining crews the time to safely reinforce the roof line to prevent over-breaks and to prevent the rock conveyor from becoming overloaded. Debris removal from the roof line over-break causes much of the delay being experienced. The cutting head of the TBM is 6 meters (19.6 feet) thick

After each push (movement) forward the TBM is halted to allow mining crews to clear the rock debris from the roof line over-break, apply reinforcement rebar and steel joists which are bolted into the ceiling. Ten holes are drilled into the support joist at regular (80 centimeter) intervals and 4 meter long expansion rock bolts are inserted into each hole and pressurized causing the bolts to expand in diameter to secure the roof line. Each bolt is rated at 25 tonnes. The final process involves spraying Shot Crete (concrete spray) over this entire ceiling area. This process is repeated with each measured "push" of the TBM.

When the TBM reaches 3,304 meters (10,840 feet), it will begin to ascend at a 7.15% gradient (rising 7.15 meters every 100 meters) in an effort to escape from the Queenston Shale strata to more predictable and stable rock formation (Whirlpool Sandstone). The TBM will level out after rising to a depth of 90 meters (295 feet) from the surface. It is hoped that this maneuver will allow much less roof line over-break currently experienced.  At this depth the TBM will be at the same level of the existing twin tunnels built under the city in the 1950's.

Miners working above the crown of the TBM cutter head

January 23rd 2009 -  

The TBM is at 3,417.02 meters (11,210.5 feet) with a continuous roof line over-break of up to 4 meters (13 feet).   The overland conveyor belt from the tunnel to the rock dump broke down on the evening of January 22nd causing a temporary shutdown of mining operations until 600 meters of continuous loop conveyor belt is replaced.
 

Workers replacing the overland conveyor belt

January 26th 2009 -  

The overland conveyor belt from the tunnel to the rock dump has been replaced and mining has resumed.

February 5th 2009 -

The tunnel is 3473 meters long (11,394 feet) with a continuous roof line over-break of up to 4 metres (13 feet). Progress is averaging 6 metres per day.

 

February 12th 2009 -

The tunnel is 3503.7 meters long (11,495 feet) with continuous roof line over-break of up to 3.8 metres. Progress is averaging 6 metres per day. TBM has already begun ascent to the Whirlpool Sandstone rock strata on a 7.150% gradient (rising 7.15 meters every 100 meters). The TBM will follow a route directly under Stanley Avenue.

February 13th 2009 -

Progress rate reaches 8.2 meters. Average push is now 90 centimeters up from previous 80 centimeters.

February 23rd 2009 -

The tunnel is 3574.9 meters (11,728.5 feet) long with continuous over-break of up to 4 meters. The progress rate is averaging 6 meters per day.

March 2nd 2009 -

The tunnel is 3618.6 meters (11,872 feet) long with continuous over-break of up to 4 meters. The progress rate is averaging 5 meters per day.

March 12th 2009 -

The tunnel is 3693 meters (12,116 feet) long with continuous over-break of up to 4 meters. The progress rate is averaging 5 meters per day.

March 22nd 2009 -  

The Toronto Star Newspaper reported today the according to the OPG, the Niagara Tunnel Project could be three years behind schedule.

May 3rd 2009 -  

The average push of the TBM is now 1 meter (up from a previous average 80 centimeters). Over-break continues at 2 to 2.5 meters.

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge has poured approximately 350 meters of finished concrete tunnel lining. It is progressing at a rate of approximately 62.5 meters per week with an estimated rate of 100 meters per week in the near future.

To date approximately 700,000 cubic meters of rock debris have been mined from the tunnel.

May 9th 2009 -  

The tunnel is 4067.9 meters (13,346 feet) long with continuous over-break of up to 2.85 meters. The progress rate is averaging 6 meters per day. The average push of the TBM is now 1-2 meters (up from a previous average 80 centimeters). Over-break continues at 2 to 2.8 meters. The TBM had been halted for the past three days to allow for the expansion of the rock conveyor system.

The TBM has begun to ascend another 1.50 meters (5 feet) over a distance of approximately 150 meters . When it levels out after this brief climb, it will continue to mine entirely within the Queenston Shale strata however the over-break will be significantly reduced. The TBM will be approximately 80 centimeters below the Whirlpool Sandstone strata.

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge has poured approximately another 100 meters of finished concrete tunnel lining during the past week.

May 19th 2009 -  

The tunnel is 4148.0 meters (13,609 feet) long with continuous over-break of up to 2 to 2.5 meters. The progress rate is averaging 7-8 meters per day. The average push of the TBM is now 1-2 meters (up from a previous average 80 centimeters). 

May 22nd 2009 -  

Ontario Power Generation has released information in its first quarter financial report of 2009 that the cost of the Niagara Tunnel project has risen from the original project cost estimated at $985 million with a scheduled completion of June 2010 to the revised project cost estimated at $1.6 billion and the revised scheduled completion by December 2013. 

May 23rd 2009 -  

The TBM is now pushing forward at a rate of 1.2 to 1.6 meters and is averaging 6-7 meters per day. The over-break above the crown of the TBM cutter-head is approximately 2 - 2.5 meters. The crown of the tunnel has become much flatter in appearance as the TBM nears the bottom layers of the Whirlpool Sandstone. The TBM has levelled out after an ascent of 10 meters (33 feet). On the current trajectory, the TBM will climb at a grade of 0.010% (10 centimeters for every 1 kilometer).

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge advancing at a rate of 100 meters per week as it lines the bottom portion of tunnel with finished concrete.

 

May 27 2009 -  

The tunnel is 4230.9 meters (13,881 feet) long with continuous over-break of up to 2 to 2.5 meters. The TBM is now pushing forward at a rate of 1.2 to 1.6 meters and is averaging 6-7 meters per day.

June 1st 2009 -  

The tunnel is 4245 meters (13,927 feet) long with continuous over-break of 1.4 meters but decreasing. The TBM is now pushing forward at a rate of 1.2 to 1.6 meters and is averaging 10 meters per day.

June 11th 2009 -  

The tunnel is 4348.9 meters (14,268 feet) long with continuous over-break of 1.4 meters but decreasing. The TBM is now pushing forward at a rate of 1.2 to 1.6 meters and is averaging 10 meters per day.

June 13th 2009 -  

The TBM is halfway into a one meter (3.28 feet) ascent. Roofline over-break above the crown of the TBM cutter-head is 60 centimeters and lessening as the climb to a higher elevation towards the Whirlpool Sandstone strata continues. The TBM is now progressing at a rate of 13 meters per day with each push forward averaging 1.1 meters.

Since beginning it's journey the TBM has been in operation more than twenty-two thousand (22,000) hours.

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge has poured approximately 750 meters of finished concrete tunnel lining to the bottom portion of the tunnel.

June 21st 2009 -  

The tunnel is 4459.6 meters (14,631 feet) long with continuous over-break of 60 centimeters and decreasing. The TBM is now pushing forward at a rate of 1.1 to 1.2 meters and is averaging 13 meters per day. The TBM has levelled it's trajectory and is moving forward at near maximum capacity. The crown of the TBM cutter-head  will soon begin mining into the much more stable Whirlpool Sandstone above.

The Whirlpool Sandstone rock strata is quite narrow averaging 4 to 7 meters in thickness and the entire rock strata drops in elevation the farther south the TBM progresses.

The Invert Tunnel Concrete Lining is 1050 meters long and is averaging 100 meters per week.

TUNNEL INTAKE

The Niagara Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will approach the water intake at the International Water Control Dam in a line of approach that follows a path to the river which differs from the existing tunnels (under Dufferin Islands and Rapids Drive).

The TBM will reach the Niagara River by following a path from the Fallsview tourist district and under Niagara Parks Commission land between the east of the Canadian Niagara Power Station and  west of the former Toronto Power Station reaching the river west of Dufferin Islands.

The intake complex will consist of a submerged bell-mouth structure in the Niagara River beneath gate #1 of the existing International Water Control Dam and an underwater approach channel excavated in the riverbed. The intake structure will include a portal with space for sectional gates (stop-blocks) for closure of the tunnel when the need to dewater the tunnel is required. The existing weir of the ice acceleration channel extending up river from the control dam will be removed from between gates 3 and 4 and moved further outwards from shore between gates 4 and 5.

The Grout Gallery is an underground tunnel that will be blasted through the bedrock underneath the Water Control Dam Structure at Gate #1 extending approximately 400 meters (1,312 feet) downriver ending near Dufferin Islands. The tunnel will have a downward slope to end at a maximum depth of approximately 45 meters (147.6 feet). This tunnel will have a diameter of 7 meters (23 feet) in height and 8 meters (26 feet) in width and 403 meters (1,322 feet) in length. The floor and walls are straight (flat) with an arched ceiling. It is at this terminus that the TBM will meet up to the Grout Gallery and end its long journey.

 

The Intake Grout Tunnel is the entrance portal for water flowing into the new Niagara Tunnel after its completion. As the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) concludes boring the tunnel it will ascend to the surface along the Grout Tunnel. In a sense, the Grout Tunnel acts as the glide path for the emerging Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). The diagram on the left gives the realistic perspective of the size of the Grout Tunnel in comparison to the TBM.

The most important aspect of the Grout Tunnel was to allow a 360° high pressure grout injection into all the rock cracks and crevices to form a 26 meter diameter waterproof curtain to protect the tunnel from flooding from the river above as the TBM surfaces.

The Grout Tunnel was built using the drill and blast method. Four large 3 meter deep expansion holes were drilled near the lower middle of the rock face. The remainder of the rock face had 3 meter deep blast holes drilled approximately every 80 centimeters apart.

The holes with the exception of the expansion holes were packed with explosives and detonated in a diamond pattern so that the blast would expand toward the expansion holes resulting in a controlled explosion. Every blast would expand the tunnel another 3 meters. The blasting was restricted to day time hours only as not to disturb nearby neighbourhoods.

September 2007 -

A large area 61 meters (200 feet) by 122 meters (400 feet) upriver surrounding gate #1 has been enclosed by a cofferdam consisting of concrete, pile driven sheet of steel, grout and rock. The area has been dewatered and is being prepared for rock blasting. The blasting will enable the construction of a 45 meter (147 feet) deep  shaft and shaping of the intake approach to be created in the bedrock. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) will intersect this shaft and end at this location .

An intake structure will be created to allow water to access the new tunnel at a flow rate of approximately 4-7 feet per second (slow enough to prevent a surface vortex) and allow the flow of surface water through the renewed functioning of gate #1.

 

January 2008 -

At the intake area, blasting and excavating of the entrance channel is well underway. To date, the access channel is approximately 122 meters (144 feet) long and approximately 18 meters (60 feet) wide. It is located in the dewatered area located upriver of the Water Control Dam Gate #1.

This channel has been blasted and carved into the river bedrock consisting primarily of dolostone and limestone. Holes are drilled into the bedrock and then packed with explosives. The area to be detonated is covered with thick and heavy blast mats. After ensuring all workers and others are at a safe distance, the explosives are detonated. The rock debris is then removed by being loaded onto large trucks and taken a short distance where it is dumped. The rock is then placed into an onsite rock crusher which reduces the debris into highway grade stone. At night the crushed stone is trucked from the construction site to the Queen Elizabeth Highway expansion project currently underway between the cities of St. Catharines and Niagara Falls.

On average, there have been two explosive detonations daily followed by a lengthy clearing period. The explosions occur only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. during weekdays with few exceptions. Each explosion is strictly controlled to ensure there is no collateral damage to the existing Water Control Dam Structure and to any nearby residences. There are three seismic devices strategically located surrounding the blast area to record the strength of each blast to ensure each is within the acceptable limits set by project engineers.

The depth of this access channel is approximately 30 meters (100 feet) deep and has reached the location of the dam structure. At this location, the access channel is below the level of the dam structure. Work is now being done on the third blasting bench. The entrance hole that is known as the "grout gallery" will not be commenced until later this year.

October 20th 2008 -

The construction of the Grout Gallery Tunnel is well underway. It is approximately 47 metres (154 feet) long. Construction of this tunnel is being done so by an old and proven method: with the use of controlled explosives. Following an explosion that tears away a portion of the tunnel face, the debris is removed and the tunnel prepared for the next blast. The rock debris is being crushed on site and is being trucked from the site to other road building construction sites in Niagara. The rock face of the tunnel is prepared by drilling a series of holesed
 
 

December 10th 2008 -  

The intake Grout Gallery Tunnel is 120 meters (394 feet) in length.

January 25th 2009 -  

The intake Grout Gallery Tunnel is 146 meters (479 feet) in length.

February 25th 2009 -  

The intake Grout Gallery Tunnel is 197.3 meters (647.3 feet) in length.

March 23rd 2009 -  

The intake Grout Gallery Tunnel is 245 meters (804 feet) in length.

April 11th 2009 -  

The intake Grout Gallery Tunnel is 285 meters (935 feet) in length.

April 17th 2009 -  

The intake Grout Gallery Tunnel is 298.3 meters (978.6 feet) in length. The Grout Tunnel will not be extended beyond this length. No further blasting is expected to take place. Strabag has determined that the Grout Tunnel is currently of sufficient length and depth to satisfy their requirements.

April 30th 2009 -  

Clean up of the site continues. Dufferin Construction is preparing to continue construction on the entrance to the Grout Tunnel. This construction includes the building the water intake and a rock trap (an area where rock debris will collect before being drawn into the tunnel when water is flowing into it).

Inside the Grout Tunnel - January 25th 2009

Entrance ramp to Grout Tunnel Intake

TUNNEL OUTLET

The concrete tunnel outlet structure will be located will be located at the Sir Adam Beck Pump/Generating Station. The outlet canal will be 350 meters (1148.28 feet) long - 23 meters (75.46 feet) wide and 35 meters (114.83 feet) deep. This new outlet will be connected to the current feeder canal leading to the water reservoir from the hydro feeder canal. A lift type closure gate will permit the new tunnel to be closed in the event of an emergency.

August 2007 -

Cleanup of the tunnel outlet has begun. The rock walls at starting point of the tunnel boring machine near the tunnel entrance will be scaled and a bell shaped outlet containing a hydraulic steel closure gate will be constructed. The gate will allow the flow of the water to be stopped in the event of an emergency.

December 2008 -

The Invert Concrete Formwork Bridge has been walked into position. The first two bays have been lined with the waterproofing membrane and the first concrete pour is scheduled for Friday December 12th 2008. The finished inner concrete surface will be 500 - 600 millimetres thick.



January 25th 2009 -  

Work is in progressing in preparing the outlet for concrete pouring in order to transition the round shaped tunnel into the rectangular outlet shape.

GEOLOGY CHARTS

ROCK OF AGES CHART

SILURIAN ERA ROCK CHART

STRATA OF THE NIAGARA GORGE CHART

NIAGARA RIVER AND WATER DIVERSION

The Niagara River is 35 miles (59 km) long and runs in a north-south direction from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It is an International Boundary between Canada and USA. The average flow of the river is estimated at 6,000 cubic meters per second (211,887 cubic feet per second).

The specified rates of water flow over the Falls (listed above) are mandatory minimums. All water specified in this Treaty in excess of water reserved for scenic purposes may be diverted for power purposes.

On April 17th 1973, the governments agreed to use Eastern Daylight Savings Time as the basis of interpreting the hours specified by section IV of the treaty.

Under the terms of this treaty all excess waters available for water diversion for power generation shall be divided equally between Canada and the United States. An exception allows Canada to divert an additional 5,000 cubic feet of water per second from the Welland Canal or the Niagara River by a 1940 government agreement pertaining to the downstream use of waters from Canada's Long Lac and Ogoki water diversions into the Great Lakes. These water diversions are specifically excluded from the waters allocated in the Niagara River Water Diversion Treaty of 1950.

The Niagara River Water Diversion Treaty came into force upon the date of the exchange of ratifications [Oct. 10, 1950] and continues in force for a period of fifty (50) years and thereafter until one (1) year from the day on which either party shall give notice to the other party of its intention of terminating the Treaty.

NEED FOR THE NEW NIAGARA TUNNEL

The 1950 Treaty stipulated: "Until such time as there are facilities in the territory of one party to use its full share of the diversions of water for power purposes agreed upon in this Treaty, the other party may use the portion of that share for the use of which facilities are not available".

In order to best utilize the water available for diversion, the New York State Power Authority and Ontario Power Generation signed an agreement on January 19th 1965 to share generation capacity. Both power companies have rented available power generating capacity from each other to maximize utilization of their respective shares of water available for power production. Original ownership of the water shares has been maintained. This agreement allows each company to minimize the costs of equipment outages and to provide for the handling of ice problems. In simple terms, when Ontario Power Generation (OPG) - Sir Adam Beck Power Stations (Canada) has surplus water shares available for diversion and no extra generation capacity, they rent the generation capacity available at New York State Power Authority (NYSPA) - Robert Moses Power Station for power generation. The power generated is for the use of Ontario Power Generation. This agreement is reciprocal and NYSPA does the same with their surplus water share.

The power companies of both countries continue to upgrade their power generators to increase power capacity however their respective abilities to draw water are limited by not only the terms of this treaty but their capacity to draw available waters (refer below).

Ontario Power Generation has a combined water drawing capacity of 72,400 cubic feet per second (includes DeCew Falls Generating Station). At present, New York State Power Authority - Robert Moses Generating Station has a water drawing advantage of approximately 36,600 cubic feet per second.

There are occasions when power generation is reduced below actual capacity at times of low water flow rates in order to maintain the treaty minimal flow over the Falls.

There are occasions when the amount of water in the Niagara River available for diversion exceeds the ability of the power stations to draw this excess. Ontario Power Generation and the Ontario Government are currently studying methods upon which to increase their water share drawing capacity in order to increase power generation capacity.

"...The two countries share the water for power production as per Article VI.  This amount, of course, depends on the river flow which changes constantly.  When the level of Lake Erie, and its corresponding outflow, is low, there may not be sufficient water available for maximum power generation.....in either country.  On the other hand, when the opposite is true i.e. high lake levels and river flows the amount of water available for power production exceeds generation/diversion capacity and water will be "spilled" over the Falls (in other words in amounts greater than the required Falls flow minimum). 

A program of unit upgrades at both Ontario Power Generation's Sir Adam Beck and the New York Power Authority's Robert Moses Niagara Power Project, begun in the 1990s and due for completion in the next couple of years has been increasing this generation/discharge capacity.  While the tunnels on the U.S. side are capable of handling their diversions, in all but the most extreme case (short term storm events which can result in very high flow conditions), a new OPG tunnel or tunnels and additional generating station would increase the frequency of maximum water diversion for power generation on the Canadian side..."

Len Falkiner, Secretary, International Niagara Board of Control (IJC)
 

The megawatt (symbol: MW) is a unit for measuring power equal to one million (10⁶) watts.
The gigawatt (symbol: GW) is a unit for measuring power equal to one billion (10⁹⁾ watts.

ONTARIO POWER GENERATION - QUARTERLY REPORTS
NIAGARA TUNNEL PROJECT NOTES

November 16th 2007 -

Ontario Power Generation Inc. (“OPG” or the “Company”) reported its financial and operating results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2007. Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2007 was $113 million compared to net income of $167 million for the same period in 2006. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, net income was $409 million compared to $509 million for the same period last year.

The report stated in part:

Niagara Tunnel

The Niagara tunnel project will increase the amount of water flowing to existing turbines at OPG’s Sir Adam Beck generating stations in Niagara Falls, allowing the stations to utilize available water more effectively. Upon the completion of the 10.4 km tunnel, the average annual generation from the Sir Adam Beck generating stations is expected to increase by approximately 1.6 TWh.

At September 30, 2007, the tunnel boring machine had advanced 1,028 meters. The progress of the tunnel boring machine by the design-build contractor through a fractured rock formation has been slower than expected. As a result, the contractor’s forecast completion date has been delayed from late 2009.

Considerable uncertainty remains with respect to the schedule until the tunnel boring machine advances sufficiently beyond the St. David’s Gorge to approximately 2,300 meters and establishes consistent tunneling performance. Potential deviation from the original project completion schedule approved by OPG’s Board of Directors of June 2010 will be assessed at that point.

The contract structure puts the onus on the contractor to mitigate schedule delays, including liquidated damages provisions for failure to meet the contractual in-service date. The project is still expected to be completed within the budgeted cost estimate of $985 million.

The capital project expenditures for the three months ended September 30, 2007 were $10 million and life-to-date capital expenditures were $281 million. The project is debt financed through the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation (“OEFC”).

OPG negotiated an agreement with the OEFC to finance the Niagara Tunnel project for up to $1 billion over the duration of the project. The funding is advanced in the form of 10-year notes, on commercial terms and conditions. Advances under this facility commenced in October 2006, and amounted to $240 million as at September 30, 2007.

May 23rd 2008 -

Ontario Power Generation Inc. (“OPG” or the “Company”) reported its financial and operating results for the first quarter for the three months ended March 31st 2008. Net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $162 million compared to net income of $171 million for the same period in 2007.

The report stated in part:

Niagara Tunnel

At March 31, 2008, the boring machine for the Niagara tunnel had advanced 1,848 meters. Considerable uncertainty remains with respect to the schedule until the tunnel boring machine has advanced beyond the St. David’s gorge to approximately 2,300 meters, and establishes consistent tunneling performance.

The project cost estimate of $985 million will be reviewed in conjunction with any changes to the project completion schedule, and a dispute resolution process to review, among other things, the actual subsurface rock conditions compared to those that were anticipated as part of the design-build contract.

At March 31, 2008, the tunnel boring machine had advanced 1,848 meters. The progress of the tunnel boring machine by the design-build contractor continues to be slower than expected through the rock conditions encountered under the St. David’s gorge. Based on the information provided by the contractor, the in-service date of the tunnel will be delayed.

To mitigate the impact of the schedule delay, the contractor is investigating alternatives, including realignment of a portion of the tunnel. The estimated in-service date will be dependent on the alternative selected by the contractor. Considerable uncertainty remains with respect to the schedule for any of the contractor’s alternatives until the tunnel boring machine has advanced beyond the St. David’s gorge to approximately 2,300 meters, and establishes consistent tunneling performance.

The contract structure places the onus on the contractor to mitigate schedule delays, and includes liquidated damages provisions for failure to meet the contractual in-service date. There is a potential that the schedule delay could impact the project cost. The project cost estimate of $985 million will be reviewed in conjunction with any changes to the project completion schedule and a dispute resolution process to review, among other things, the actual subsurface rock conditions compared to those that were anticipated as part of the design-build contract, which is scheduled for June 2008.

The capital project expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2008 were $23 million and life-to date capital expenditures were $326 million. The project is debt financed through the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation (“OEFC”).

OPG negotiated an agreement with the OEFC to finance the Niagara Tunnel project for up to $1 billion over the duration of the project. The funding is advanced in the form of 10-year notes, on commercial terms and conditions. Advances under this facility commenced in October 2006, and amounted to $280 million as at March 31, 2008, including $40 million of new borrowing during the first quarter of 2008.
 

August 22nd 2008 -

Ontario Power Generation Inc. (“OPG” or the “Company”) reported its financial and operating results for the second quarter for the three months ended June 30th 2008. Net income for the second quarter of 2008 was $99 million compared to net income of $125 million for the same period in 2007. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $261 million compared to $296 million for the same period in 2007.

The report stated in part:

Niagara Tunnel

At June 30, 2008, the boring machine for the Niagara tunnel had advanced 2,399 meters. The contractor previously advised OPG that due to excavation difficulties under the St. David's gorge, the in-service date of the tunnel will be delayed. To mitigate the impact of the schedule delay, the contractor continues to pursue alternatives including realignment of a portion of the tunnel. The project cost estimate of $985 million will be reviewed in conjunction with any changes to the project completion schedule and the issues being considered in the ongoing dispute resolution process that is primarily focused on whether the actual subsurface rock conditions differ from the baseline established within the design-build contract.
   

November 21st 2008 -

Ontario Power Generation Inc. (“OPG” or the “Company”) reported its financial and operating results for the third quarter for the three months ended September 30th 2008. Net income loss for the third quarter of 2008 was $142 million compared to net income loss of $113 million for the same period in 2007. Net income loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 was $119 million compared to $409 million for the same period in 2007.

The report stated in part:

Niagara Tunnel

At September 30, 2008, the boring machine for the Niagara tunnel had advanced 3,124 metres. The contractor previously advised OPG that due to excavation difficulties under the St. David’s gorge, the in-service date of the tunnel will be delayed. The contractor continues to pursue alternatives, including realignment of a portion of the tunnel. A dispute review hearing process was initiated to review, among other things, the actual subsurface conditions compared to those that were anticipated as part of the design build contract. OPG and the contractor are using
the recommendations from the Dispute Review Board as a basis for negotiating revisions to the contract, which are expected to have a significant impact on project cost and schedule. The negotiations are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2009.

February 13th 2009 -

Ontario Power Generation Inc. ("OPG" or the "Company") today reported its financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2008. Net income for the year was $88 million compared to net income of $528 million for the year ended December 31, 2007.

The report stated in part:

Niagara Tunnel

At December 31, 2008, the boring machine for the Niagara tunnel had advanced to 3,306 metres. Progress continues to be slower than expected in the Queenston shale formation, primarily due to excessive over-break in the tunnel crown. To minimize further excavation in the Queenston shale, a change in the vertical alignment has been initiated. Non-binding recommendations issued by the Dispute Review Board in August 2008 are the basis of current negotiations between OPG and the contractor to revise the design build contract. The negotiations are targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2009, and are expected to have a significant impact on the project cost estimate and the completion schedule. These revisions are expected to have a significant impact on the project completion schedule and the cost estimate. The negotiations are underway and are targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2009. Uncertainties will continue with respect to cost and schedule.
The capital project expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2008 were $132 million and life-to-date capital expenditures were $435 million. The project is debt financed through the OEFC.
 

May 22nd 2009 -

The report stated in part:

Niagara Tunnel

With respect to the Niagara tunnel project, at March 31, 2009, the tunnel boring machine had advanced to 3,794 metres, which represents 37 percent of the tunnel length. It is now operating on a revised alignment that will minimize remaining excavation in the Queenston shale formation. OPG and the contractor are renegotiating the design build contract with a revised target cost and schedule. The contract includes incentives related to achieving the target cost and schedule. The original project cost was estimated at $985 million with a scheduled completion of June 2010, as approved by OPG’s Board of Directors. The revised project cost is estimated at $1.6 billion and the revised schedule targets completion by December 2013. This contract is expected to be finalized during the second quarter of 2009.

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RELATED LINKS

To learn more about the Niagara Tunnel project visit following educational web sites:

 Ontario Power Generation Niagara Tunnel Project

Strabag Company's Niagara Tunnel Project

The History of Power

Niagara River Water Diversion