New energy investment unlocked for Queensland mines

• Crisafulli Government supports Peabody’s Centurion mine gas power station expansion near Moranbah.
• The project will see almost all of Centurion mine’s electricity needs met with self-generated energy.
• Construction of Yancoal’s new 30MW gas power station at the Kestrel mine in the Bowen Basin is also underway.
• The Crisafulli Government is delivering a better lifestyle through a stronger economy by attracting more resource investment with a stable operating and regulatory environment after Labor's anti-mining policies caused stalling investment in regional Queensland.  

The Crisafulli Government is backing new investment into Queensland’s resources sector with funding support for Peabody’s gas-fired power station expansion at the Centurion mine. 

The project will expand the capacity of the mine’s existing 5-megawatt power station to 20-megawatts, demonstrating a new pathway for underground coal mines to optimise resources. 

By using innovative methods to capture gas from old mining voids and turn it into electricity, Peabody will reduce emissions and create a reliable, sustainable energy source for mining operations. 

The Centurion mine, located 40 kilometres north of Moranbah, is a large underground metallurgical coal mine producing high-quality coking coal for steelmaking and supports almost 525 direct jobs. 

The project will also create up to 60 construction jobs, with work set to begin by the end of the year. 

Construction has now started on a similar project at Yancoal’s Kestrel mine near Emerald, for a new 30-megawatt onsite power station. 

The Kestrel power station will run on gas from active mining operations and is expected to generate enough energy each year to power the equivalent of more than 40,000 homes when it starts operating in early 2027. 

The Crisafulli Government is returning investment confidence to Queensland’s resources industry through a stable policy environment after the former Labor Government’s anti-mining agenda drove investment out of Queensland and risked thousands of jobs. 

Treasurer and Minister for Energy David Janetzki said the projects showed Queensland remained a strong long-term investment destination for the resources sector. 

“Investments at Centurion and Kestrel demonstrate how government and industry can work together to deliver practical energy infrastructure, support regional economies and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Queensland’s resources sector,” Treasurer Janetzki said. 

“This investment by the Crisafulli Government is about backing one of Queensland’s largest industries to remain competitive and sustainable for the long-term. 

“When companies continue to invest in Queensland, it sends a clear signal that our state remains a favourable place to do business, create jobs and develop the resources the world needs.” 

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the Centurion project demonstrated the innovative and practical technology being deployed across Queensland’s resources sector. 

“Queensland’s coal industry is a cornerstone of our economy and a major employer across regional Queensland,” Minister Last said.