A $48.5 million overhaul at CS Energy’s Callide Power Station kicks off this weekend, bringing more than 300 extra workers to the site.

Initial works start today for the 56-day shutdown project on Unit C4 at Callide C, near Biloela in central Queensland, with major works commencing next week.

“Approximately 320 contractors will be working at the power station over the next two months from the major overhaul contractor Lendlease, following a major recruitment campaign in Queensland earlier this year,” Treasurer Curtis Pitt said

“I’m pleased to say approximately 32 percent of Lendlease’s workforce have been hired from the local central Queensland area and 80 percent of the workforce will be made up of Queenslanders.

“The extra workers include fitters, welders, scaffolders, rigger, electricians, boilermakers and crane drivers.

“Accommodating, transporting and feeding the overhaul contractors provides a real boost to local service industries such as accommodation providers, caterers and transport companies.”

Other contractors working on the overhaul include Star Precision Electrical from Biloela and Toshiba, Howdens, Varleys, Brand and Intertek.

The overhaul contractors will work alongside Callide Power Station’s permanent workforce of 205 people.

Mr Pitt said Callide C was part of Queensland’s fleet of modern, supercritical coal-fired power stations, which provide baseload electricity to the National Electricity Market.

“Callide C was the first supercritical power station built in Australia and has one of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions intensities for any coal-fired power station in the country,” he said.

Callide Power Station is comprised of two operating power plants, Callide B and C. CS Energy owns 100 percent of Callide B and owns Callide C in a 50/50 joint venture arrangement with InterGen.