Callide power station
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Callide power station is an operating power station of at least 1620-megawatts (MW) in Biloela, Queensland, Australia.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Callide power station | Biloela, Queensland, Australia | -24.347222, 150.617115 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Phase B Unit 1, Phase B Unit 2, Phase C Unit 3, Phase C Unit 4: -24.347222, 150.617115
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase B Unit 1 | Operating | coal: subbituminous | 350 | subcritical | 1989 | 2031 (planned)[1] |
| Phase B Unit 2 | Operating | coal: subbituminous | 350 | subcritical | 1989 | 2031 (planned)[1] |
| Phase C Unit 3 | Operating | coal: subbituminous | 460 | supercritical | 2001 | 2038 (planned) |
| Phase C Unit 4 | Operating[2] | coal: subbituminous | 460 | supercritical | 2001 | 2038 (planned) |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Phase B Unit 1 | CS Energy Ltd [100%] | CS Energy Ltd [100.0%] |
| Phase B Unit 2 | CS Energy Ltd [100%] | CS Energy Ltd [100.0%] |
| Phase C Unit 3 | CS Energy Ltd [50%]; IG Power (Callide) Ltd [50%] | CS Energy Ltd [50.0%]; China Huaneng Group Co Ltd [25.0%]; Creditas BV; Sev.En Global Investments U.K. Ltd |
| Phase C Unit 4 | IG Power (Callide) Ltd [50%]; CS Energy Ltd [50%] | CS Energy Ltd [50.0%]; China Huaneng Group Co Ltd [25.0%]; Creditas BV; Sev.En Global Investments U.K. Ltd |
Background
The Callide power station is located 18 kilometres east of Biloela in central Queensland and comprises Callide A, B, and C plants. Callide A was originally constructed in 1965; one of its 30MW units was recommissioned to become home of the Callide Oxyfuel Project. The 2 x 350MW Callide B plant was commissioned in 1989, while the 2 x 460MW supercritical Callide C plant was commissioned in 2001.[3]
The plant underwent an A$49 million program of overhaul and maintenance that was scheduled to last from September 2018 to December 2018.[4]
In 2018, The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) estimated that Callide-B will operate for the duration of its 50-year life cycle, or until 2039.[5]
However, in October 2019 it was reported Callide-B will now close in 2028, not 2039 as originally planned.[6]
In 2022 it was reported that Callide-B is planned for retirement by 2028 and Callide-C by 2038.[7]
In a report from October 2024, the Queensland Conservation Council has warned that a proposal by the opposition Liberal-National Party to operate the Callide B coal plant beyond 2028 could cost up to A$420 million (US$280 million) a year.[8][9]
In November 2024, a Callide C cooling tower replacement project was completed.[10] In December 2024, a maintenance program for both Callide B units was completed.[11]
In April 2025, the newly-elected Queensland Liberal National Party announced a five-year plan to refurbish Callide B[12] and extend its life to 2030 or 2031.[13]
Proposed ownership changes
In March 2024, CS Energy proposed to acquire the 50% interest in Callide C belonging to IG Power (Callide).[14] If completed, the ownership transfer would make CS Energy the sole owner of 100% of the power station's interest (via its wholly owned subsidiary Callide Energy Pty Limited).
In May 2024, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced that it would not oppose CS Energy's complete acquisition of the power station.[15] As of September 2024, Callide C was still owned jointly by CS Energy and IG Power.[16]
Explosion and outages
On May 25, 2021, there was an explosion at the Callide-C power station, which triggered a fire in one of the turbine halls and caused three units to go offline, triggering major power outages across Queensland. In total, about 470,000 customers were affected.[17] CFMMEU Mining and Energy Vice President Shane Brunker stated that repairs to the plant could take "months, if not years" and would cost millions of dollars.[18] Brunker also called the incident a "catastrophic failure" and a "worst-case scenario". A spokesman for Energex, Danny Donald, stated that he had not seen such a bad blackout in his 15 years in the industry.[19]
In July 2021, CS Energy announced that Unit 4 would not be brought back online until December 2022.[20] In May 2022, CS Energy said that Unit 4 would be rebuilt and operating again by February 2023.[21]
In November 2022, a structural failure occurred when part of the cooling equipment collapsed in Callide-C. The remaining 460 MW unit would be offline for 3 weeks, meaning the entirety of Callide-C was inoperative.[22] The next day, a safety protection system detected a heat pump issue in Callide-B; the B units proceeded to trip and the entire power station was offline for at least two days.[23]
As of March 2023, both units at Callide-C were reportedly still completely offline, and had been so since October of 2022.[24] At the time, a CS Energy statement had confirmed that efforts were still underway to get both units of Callide-C back up and running normally.[24]
A March 2023 report released by CS Energy publicized new estimates for the return dates of the two Callide-C units. For Unit C-3, it was estimated that a capacity of 300 MW would be available in September 2023, and 466 MW would be available by December 2023. For Unit C-4, the following available capacities were estimated to be ready by the following dates:
- 31 Oct 2023 – 300 MW
- 30 Nov 2023 – 350 MW
- 31 Jan 2024 – 466MW [25]
While CS Energy assured the public that the units would be back in service near the end of 2023, the plant's co-owner Genuity (formerly InterGen) reportedly underwent voluntary administration following shareholders' disagreement regarding "the venture's future funding." [26]
In May 2023, CS Energy again revised their estimates for the return dates of the two Callide-C units, citing the "complexity of rebuilding the cooling towers, the risks of supply chain issues and recommissioning the new C4 generator and turbine." Unit C-3 was expected to be back at 50% capacity by January 2024, and at 466 MW in February 2024. Unit C-4 was expected to be at 50% capacity by May 2024, and at 420 MW by July 2024.[27]
According to reporting from October 2023, CS Energy had paid a A$67,800 (US$43,200) fine for operating Callide C without regulatory approval when the 2021 explosion crippled the units and destabilized the grid.[28]
In an update from January 2024, CS Energy stated that weather-related "work stoppages" had delayed the return dates of the Callide C units. Unit C-3 was expected to return to full power by the end of March 2024, and Unit C-4 was expected to return to full power by the end of July 2024.[29]
In January 2024, stakeholder Sev.en Global Investments launched legal action in the Federal Court of Australia requesting the appointment of a special administrator to investigate the failures of the two units at Callide C.[30] The court agreed to the request and ordered a new investigation.[31]
In February 2024, the Australian Energy Regulator launched legal proceedings against the operator of Callide C for allegedly breaching market rules and not meeting performance standards.[32] The proceedings were ongoing in March 2024.[33]
As of early 2024, CS Energy expected Units C3 and C4 to be gradually powered back up to full capacity by March and July 2024 respectively.[34]
In July 2024, forensic engineer Sean Brady published an investigation report into the May 2021 explosion at Callide Unit C4. The report noted that a series of events led to the catastrophic failure of the rotor shaft in nine locations. The explosion threw a two-tonne section of the shaft five meters across the turbine hall and blasted a 300 kg piece of equipment 20 meters up through the roof of the plant. The report referred to the explosion as a “turbine missile event”. The report described CS Energy as an organization that “did not value or practise effective process safety”. Unit C4 was expected to return to service on August 31, 2024.[35][36]
Unit C4 was powered back up and returned to service on August 30, 2024.[16]
In February 2025, a federal court judge ruled in favor of the Australian Energy Regulator and fined Callide Power Trading A$9 million (US$5.6 million) for the Callide C explosion, saying the utility breached national energy market rules and failed to meet performance standards.[37][38]
In April 2025, unit C4 went offline following an incident that damaged the unit’s boiler. C4 was expected to be back online by the end of May 2025.[39]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://reneweconomy.com.au/heads-roll-at-callide-and-cs-energy-as-lnp-coal-plant-extension-explodes-into-high-farce/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.csenergy.com.au/news/callide-unit-c4-returns-to-service.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ CS Energy, "Callide", CS Energy website, accessed June 2011.
- ↑ Callide power station to undergo $49 million overhaul, Central Telegraph, Sep. 3, 2018
- ↑ 2018 Integrated System Plan, AEMO, Jul. 17, 2018
- ↑ "Qld to close coal-fired power station a decade early," Financial Review, Oct. 7, 2019
- ↑ Labor searches for the right medicine in Queensland climate campaign, Sydney Morning Herald, Apr. 25, 2022
- ↑ “Queensland opposition’s coal keeper plan could cost taxpayers $420 million a year,” Renew Economy, October 17, 2024
- ↑ “The LNP's coal commitment could cost Queenslanders $420 million per year,” Queensland Conservation Council, October 17, 2024
- ↑ "Callide C cooling tower replacement project completed," Energy Source & Distribution, November 27, 2024
- ↑ "Major maintenance program wraps-up at Callide Power Station," CS Energy, December 20, 2024
- ↑ ““Fiscal vandalism:” Queensland doubles down on coal and gas after transmission, hydro cost blowouts,” Renew Economy, April 8, 2025
- ↑ “Heads roll at Callide and CS Energy as LNP coal plant extension explodes into high farce,” Renew Economy, April 15, 2025
- ↑ CS Energy Limited - Callide C, ACCC, March 13, 2024
- ↑ CS Energy Limited - Callide C, ACCC, Accessed: July 1, 2024
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Callide Unit C4 Returns to Service, CS Energy, September 2, 2024
- ↑ Lucy Stone,What happened at Queensland's Callide Power Station and will we lose power again?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 25, 2021
- ↑ Kylie Stevens, Explosion at Queensland power station will take 'years' to repair, Australia Associated Press, May 25, 2021
- ↑ Emma Pollard, Queensland blackout to be investigated after fire at Callide Power Station cuts power to large parts of the state, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 25, 2021
- ↑ Callide power unit won’t return until December 2022, Australian Financial Review, Jul. 7, 2021
- ↑ One year on from Callide Power Station fire, answers are still being sought, ABC, May 25, 2022
- ↑ 'Structural failure' at Callide Power Station near Biloela leaves unit offline, ABC, November 1, 2022
- ↑ Callide Power Station in central Queensland completely offline, ABC, November 3, 2022
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Fresh blow for Queensland coal, as shareholder dispute topples Callide C co-owner, Renew Economy, March 27, 2023
- ↑ UPDATED RETURN TO SERVICE DATES FOR CALLIDE C GENERATING UNITS, CS Energy, March 8, 2023
- ↑ Co-owners of troubled plant in voluntary administration, PerthNow, March 24, 2023
- ↑ "UPDATED RETURN TO SERVICE DATES FOR CALLIDE C GENERATING UNITS - 30 MAY 2023," CS Energy, May 30, 2023
- ↑ "Callide coal generator was being operated without approval when it blew up in 2021," Renew Economy, October 18, 2023
- ↑ "Update on Progress in Returning Callide C Power Station to Service," CS Energy, January 15, 2024
- ↑ "Czech coal baron slams Queensland government ahead of legal showdown," Australian Financial Review, January 17, 2024
- ↑ "Federal Court orders fresh investigation into explosion at central Queensland's Callide C power station," ABC News Australia, January 28, 2024
- ↑ "Callide Power Trading Pty Ltd: alleged breaches of the National Electricity Rules," Australian Energy Regulator, February 9, 2024
- ↑ The Callide C explosion lands in court: a confluence of contentious consequences, Lexology, March 25, 2024
- ↑ Update on Progress in Returning Callide C Power Station to Service, CS Energy, January 17, 2024
- ↑ “Coal plant owner did not value safety before Callide explosion, report finds,” Renew Economy, July 17, 2024
- ↑ “Technical and Organisational Investigation of the Callide Unit C4 Incident,” Brady Heywood, July 2024
- ↑ “Callide Power Station fined $9m over catastrophic explosion that cut power to nearly half a million homes,” ABC News, February 3, 2025
- ↑ “Australian Energy Regulator v Callide Power Trading Pty Ltd -2025 FCA 32,” Federal Court of Australia, February 4, 2025
- ↑ “Callide unit shut down by “blast” just days before Queensland LNP reveals life extension for coal plants,” Renew Economy, April 10, 2025
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
