Callide overhaul generates jobs & new customers

A $60 million overhaul starts at Callide Power Station in just over a week, creating work for about 140 Queensland contractors and $6 million in flow-on benefits to Biloela.

Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the overhaul of two of Callide’s four units would also bring up to 60 specialist interstate contractors to Biloela under strict hygiene and safety measures in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the workforce and community.

“The overhaul will create jobs for electricians, boilermakers, riggers, fitters, welders, scaffolders and crane drivers as well as interstate specialist weld testers and generator circuit breaker technicians,” Dr Lynham said.

“The overhaul workforce will take up rooms in our local accommodation across the Banana Shire, eat in local restaurants and spend their days off relaxing and supporting cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs and other businesses.

“That’s extra customers and dollars coming through the doors until the overhaul ends on 30 November, supporting local jobs.”

Dr Lynham said Callide’s operator CS Energy had worked closely with Queensland Health on extra COVID-safe measures to help keep power station workers and communities safe.

“With the extra workers on site, CS Energy has ramped up those measures, which include limits for the number of people in work spaces, crib huts and buses to and from site, increased cleaning and staggered meal breaks, extra hygiene stations around site, controls around lifts, and all workers signing a COVID-19 declaration before attending site.

“The overhaul program itself is also now taking longer than usual to accommodate COVID-safe measures like social distancing.”

CS Energy is overhauling the B1 and C4 generating units at Callide Power Station to ensure they operate safely and reliably, particularly over the summer peak demand period.

While the overhauls are underway, the power station’s two remaining units will continue to generate electricity.

Dr Lynham said the overhauls would be completed by the end of November so Callide Power Station was in prime condition ready for summer peak energy demand.

Queensland’s publicly-owned electricity companies – Powerlink, Ergon, Energex, CS Energy, Stanwell Corp and CleanCo – will invest more than $2.2 billion on capital works in 2019-20, supporting up to 4900 jobs.   

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Media inquiries: Jan Martin 0439 341 314