53: Callide C Blackout

Causality

In 2021 the Callide C Power Station experienced a unit failure that tore the turbine-generator apart, resulted in hundreds of thousands of premises losing power, and cost hundreds of millions to repair. We look at how design errors and ultimately a lack of information led to the incident escalating out of control, when it could have been recovered.
With John Chidgey.
Formal Reports:

• Callide Unit C4 Turbine Generator Failure 25 May 2021 (PDF)
• Animation of the Callide Unit C4 incident
• Trip of multiple generators and lines in Central Queensland and associated under-frequency load shedding on 25 May 2021 (PDF)

News Releases and Articles:

• CS Energy releases report into 2021 Callide C4 Unit Failure
• CS Energy releases technical report into 2021 Unit C4 incident
• Dr Sean Brady to lead independent investigation into Callide incident
• Battery failure led to power plant mass outage
• Both units trip at Callide C on Wednesday 13th January 2021
• Statement regarding IG Power
• Intergen voluntary administration
• Report says Callide C4 incident “could not have been anticipated”
• Callide explosion blamed on battery charger failure
• Callide Power Trading taken to court over system failure
• CS Energy says insurers won’t agree to $300m claim over power station
• Jim Soorley stands down from CS Energy
• CS Energy Post about Incident on LinkedIn

Super-Critical Boilers:

• Super-Critical Boiler Technology (PDF)
• Supercritical Fluids
• Supercritical Coal Plants

Electrical Engineering References:

• Hydrogen-cooled Turbo Generator
• Reverse Active Power Protection (ANSI 32P)

Court Action:

• Alleged failure to obtain regulatory approval to operate a generating system
• Notice of Filing: Australian Energy Regulator v Callide Power Trading Pty Ltd (PDF)
• Coal generator to face court over blackouts caused by catastrophic explosion

General Information:

• Callide Power Station
• Stanwell Power Station
• Tarong Power Station
• Callide Power Station
• CS Energy: Water Management

NOTE: Minor Corrections in audio updated: 31st March, 2024

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Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, Shane O'Neill, Lesley, Jared Roman, Joel Maher, Katharina Will, Chad Juehring, Kellen Frodelius-Fujimoto and Ian Gallagher.