Callide explosion: Mick de Brenni refuses to accept responsibility
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni has refused to take responsibility for the Callide Power Plant explosion, sensationally accusing CS Energy bosses of lying to him about maintenance and safety at the facility.
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Energy Minister Mick de Brenni has refused to take responsibility for the Callide Power Plant explosion, sensationally accusing CS Energy bosses of lying to him about maintenance and safety at the facility.
In an extraordinary spray, Mr de Brenni claimed CS Energy’s former chief executive Andrew Bills and former chairman Jim Soorley had misled him, saying he only learned the truth when he read forensic engineer Sean Brady’s investigation report this week.
Dr Brady’s report revealed that government mandates instructing CS Energy to focus on cost savings had contributed to ineffective safety practices, with maintenance reviews in 2019 and 2022 showing maintenance was being neglected at the plant.
It also found CS Energy had commissioned a battery back-up system that was not fit for purpose and ultimately failed, causing the explosion.
Premier Steven Miles this week attempted to deny maintenance issues had any significant impact on the explosion, blaming cultural issues and management structure challenges as key contributors to the generator’s battery failure.
However, Mr de Brenni, who for three years repeatedly told media and parliament that the explosion had not been caused by a lack of maintenance, went on the attack during a press conference on Thursday, blaming CS Energy for giving him incorrect advice on maintenance standards.
Mr de Brenni said he only came to realise the advice was wrong upon reading the Brady report.
“What I was told was that all of their statutory and other maintenance that was required to be done was done; the CEO and the chair told me that repeatedly,” he said.
“They told me that in writing, I looked him in the eye multiple times and ask them to confirm that with me and unequivocally.
“The advice the CEO and the chair gave me was incorrect.”
Mr Bills and Mr Soorley stepped down from their CS Energy roles last year. There were no reports of animosity between the pair and the government at the time.
Mr de Brenni said the government “acted to remove them” but refused to say what prompted their resignations.
“I didn’t feel that they were performing effectively,” he said.
“I had a general dissatisfaction with the performance of the board and CEO, they had a power station explode, it took too long to reach agreement with the joint venture partners.”
Shareholder mandates disclosed on Thursday afternoon show CS Energy was instructed to return any surplus cash “beyond the requirements of the business” to government.
Treasurer Cameron Dick vehemently denied making any maintenance cuts via mandates, and joined Mr de Brenni in blaming the company for not telling the truth about safety issues.
“I told CS Energy to print the annual report in black and white, I told them not to pay executive bonuses, but the idea that we told them to cut maintenance is completely untrue,” he said.
“The report says, despite everything that was happening, internal and external messaging reflected a competent view that an effective safety program had been established.
“That’s what they were telling ministers, that’s what they were telling the world. They weren’t telling the truth.”
The LNP criticised the government for failing to take responsibility for the explosion and accused Mr Miles, Mr Dick and Mr de Brenni of not being able to get their stories straight in an attempted government cover up.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli questioned how Dr Brady was able to extract information about the underlying maintenance issues at Callide, when Mr de Brenni could not.
He said both Mr Dick and Mr de Brenni should have been able to override CS Energy as senior ministers and shareholders of the government-owned corporation.
“What powers did he have that the minister didn’t have?” he said.
“The minister and the Treasurer, they are both able to issue directions, that’s the way that every government-owned co-operation works.”
An email exchange between CS Energy and Mr de Brenni’s office seen by The Courier-Mail shows the minister was advised statutory compliance was being met at the Callide C power station up until the 2021 explosion.
The email, dated May 25, 2021, was sent by CS Energy shortly after 8pm on the day the Callide C generator exploded, after Mr de Brenni’s office asked CS Energy what audit and maintenance process had been undertaken at Callide and how the investigation into the explosion would be conducted.
The sender, whose name has been redacted, stated both the Callide B and C power stations were inspected and repaired every 30 months.
“This ensures statutory compliance requirements are met along with maintaining continued reliability,” the email reads. “This is further supported by ongoing maintenance between overhauls.”
CS Energy was contacted regarding the email contents but declined to comment.
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