Callide power plant embarks on major overhaul

CS Energy’s Callide coal-fired power plant is making the final preparations for an AUS$31 million overhaul of one of the plant’s generating units. Contractors have been mobilising onsite for the overhaul of the 350 MW unit, which will run from 30 July – 16 September.

According to the company, more than 350 temporary contractors would be onsite for the overhaul in addition to the power plant’s 205 permanent employees. The temporary workers were being housed in local motels and camps in Biloela, the plant’s General Manager, Roy Powell, said.

“We expect that approximately AUS$2 million will be spent on local accommodation services throughout the overhaul and there will be flow-on benefits to other service industries, such as hospitality and retail,” added Powell.

Most of the additional workers will be from the overhaul’s major contractor, MHPS Plant Services, and will be sourced from central Queensland. Other contractors include Central Queensland Inspection Services, a part of the Intertek Group, and MHPS sub-contractors, Highpoint Access and Rescue and BLJ In Situ Solutions.

“This overhaul includes inspections and maintenance on a range of power station equipment, such as the boiler, air heaters, ash conveyor systems, main steam pipe and generator circuit breaker,” said Powell.

While the unit is offline, Callide’s other three generating units will continue to operate.

Edited by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/29072016/callide-power-plant-embarks-on-major-overhaul-2016-2107/