Updated 17 January 2024
CS Energy is committed to the safe return to service of the joint venture-owned Callide C Power Station to support Queenslanders’ power needs and the National Electricity Market in 2024.
The Callide C joint venture (JV) has revised the partial return to service date for Unit C3, with the unit forecast to partially return to service on 29 February 2024 (previously 24 January 2024), prior to full commissioning of Unit C3 on 31 March 2024 (previously 18 February 2024).
CS Energy CEO Darren Busine said significant progress had been made in returning Unit C3 to service, with construction of the cooling tower cells required to partially return the unit to service entering the final stages.
However, weather conditions such as storms, wind and heat had led to work stoppages to ensure safety, with the consequent demobilisation and remobilisation of the workforce, and this had impacted momentum on site.
Image: Construction of the Unit C3 cooling tower is at an advanced stage.
As a result of the changes to the C3 return to service dates, the owners have also revised the return to service dates for C4, with the unit to partially return to service at 210 MW on 30 June 2024 (previously 19 May 2024) and then full capacity at 420 MW on 31 July 2024 (previously 6 July 2024).
Callide C return to service
| Unit |
Previous |
Current |
| Unit C3 (offline since 31 October 2022) |
24 Jan 2024 (200 MW)
18 Feb (466 MW)
|
29 Feb 2024 (200 MW)
31 March 2024 (466 MW)
|
| Unit C4 (offline since 25 May 2021) |
19 May 2024 (210 MW)
6 July MW (full capacity)
|
30 June 2024 (210 MW)
31 July 2024 (420 MW)
|
Note: Callide Unit C3 has a capacity of 424 MW, with an overload capacity of 466 MW if required by the market. The new C4 unit has a similiar design capacity but must complete relevant testing during recommissioning before it can be registered with an overload of 466 MW.
Background
Callide Unit C3 has been offline October 2022 when a partial structural failure occurred on its cooling tower. CS Energy is rebuilding both the Unit C3 and Unit C4 cooling towers following inspections and advice by independent engineering experts (as both towers are of the same design and age).
Callide Unit C4 has been offline since the Unit C4 incident in May 2021. CS Energy has completed the bulk of rebuild works on Unit C4, including the installation of major replacement components such as the turbine, generator and generator transformer.
CS Energy (through its subsidiary Callide Energy Pty Limited) owns Callide C in a joint venture (JV) with IG Power, and operates Callide C on behalf of the JV.