Site Records

Deanie Power Station - Ventilation Adit

At the start of construction at Deanie, an adit was driven to what would become the crown of the downstream surge chamber, then through the surge chamber to the roof of the station. This adit is still in use, serving to provide ventilation for the station, and an emergency escape route.

The surface end of the adit is a nondescript entrance approx. 100 yards along the road from the main access tunnel portal:

The other end in is in the downstream surge chamber (which accounts for the deep rumble that can be heard from the adit when the turbines are in operation) - a stairway leads up to the crown of the surge chamber:

At the top of the stair, a tunnel. The blue rope on the wall runs right back to the machine hall, and marks the escape route. It ends with a torch - most thoughtful!

A short length of lined tunnel, then the lining stops and the unlined tunnel takes a sharp left turn...:

...and runs out to daylight; the circle of light at the end of the tunnel can be seen. This is the surface entrance in the top photograph in this page.

Words and images © 2003 Michael J. Ross