The Italian Ambassador to Norway attended the Saint Barbara celebration at the E6 Clean Water Tunnel

At Ghella’s invitation, the Italian Ambassador to Norway, Stefano Nicoletti, joined the site workforce in celebrating the Feast of Saint Barbara, the patron saint and protector of miners, stonecutters, construction workers, and users of explosives. A multilingual mass was celebrated at more than one hundred meters underground inside the tunnel where Ghella, in joint venture with the Norwegian group AF, is carrying out the excavation works of an 11-kilometer tunnel that will provide the city of Oslo with an alternative water supply reserve for the coming decades.

The new aqueduct will convey drinking water to Oslo from Holsjord, in the Lier area, through several connecting tunnels totaling approximately 18 kilometers, 11 of which are being excavated using a Tunnel Boring Machine.

At present, the TBM has completed nearly 10 of the total 11 kilometers, corresponding to 92% of the tunnel. The next phase will involve the dismantling of the machine and related installations, followed by the installation of the cast-iron pipes that will convey the drinking water.

Following the religious celebration, Ambassador Nicoletti addressed a message of greeting to the approximately 150 workers of various nationalities engaged on the project. He expressed particular pleasure at the invitation and said: “Ghella represents one of the finest examples of how Italian technology and know-how can play a crucial role in the field of strategic infrastructure. Tunnel excavation using ‘moles’ represents an important alternative to traditional blasting methods, which are prevalent in Norway, and it is a technique in which Ghella and other Italian groups enjoy a competitive advantage. I am pleased to see that the TBM tunneling works are nearing completion well ahead of schedule. I therefore trust that the successful implementation of this project will encourage the use of Italian TBMs in other infrastructure works in Norway. The partnership with AF Gruppen thus stands as an example of successful synergies between Italian and Norwegian industries in a strategic sector such as infrastructure.

Benefits of the Project

1. Ensures clean water supply for a rapidly growing population
2. Reduces network losses and water wastage
 

Celebration of Saint Barbara at the Ghella underground construction site in Oslo