• $70 million planned overhaul has kicked off at Tarong North Power Station to ensure Stanwell continues to deliver affordable, reliable, and safe electricity for Queensland

• The overhaul is part of Stanwell’s year-round maintenance program, which aligns to the government’s Electricity Maintenance Guarantee

• The project will create hundreds of short-term extra jobs and inject millions of dollars into the local economy

A major unit overhaul at Tarong North Power Station which has recently commenced is expected to deliver a $10 million boost to the local economy, supporting local suppliers as well as accommodation, transport and hospitality providers.

The $70 million planned overhaul, which is expected to run until early July will also create an extra 500 short-term specialised contractor roles on site.

Stanwell General Manager Southern Generation, Mick Joy said planned unit overhauls were a critical part of Stanwell’s year-round comprehensive maintenance program.

“The work we complete during an overhaul ensures our power stations are kept in good condition so they can continue to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our customers, Queensland and the National Electricity Market,” Mr Joy said.

“The Tarong North Power Station is amongst Australia’s most efficient power stations. Tarong North is part of the Tarong Power Stations complex which supplies around 20 per cent of Queensland’s energy needs providing critical system strength, inertia and firming to the grid.

“It’s crucial we undertake a thorough maintenance schedule. Each unit undergoes a major overhaul every four years to keep them running optimally year-round.

“An overhaul is a big job and typically takes 12 months to plan before it even starts. Once the work kicks off it involves extensive inspection, maintenance, refurbishment and replacement of plant and equipment.”

Sarah O’Mahoney from G3 Engineering, a local Nanango-based business and long-time supplier, said the work they get from Tarong power stations has provided a consistent workflow of jobs for the company.

“To support the overhaul, we increase our supply for fabricated and manufactured components, as well as provide an increase in labour backfill,” Mrs O’Mahoney said.

“Increasing the services we provide means we are able to grow our business, by hiring new talent and upskilling our team.

“We’ve been operating for 15 years, and in that time, we’ve grown from a small crew of onsite maintenance personnel to a small business that provides a range of engineering services to our region, such as design, drafting, 3D scanning, manufacturing and installation to name a few.”

For more information, learn how power station overhauls work.