Energy Minister accused of covering up power station explosion

Energy Minister David Janetzki is under fire for keeping Queenslanders – and possibly Premier David Crisafulli – in the dark about an explosion at Callide Power Station.

Energy Minister and Treasurer David Janetzki. Pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

Energy Minister David Janetzki is under fire for keeping Queenslanders – and possibly Premier David Crisafulli – in the dark about an explosion at Callide Power Station.

Unit C3 at the coal-fired power station exploded on Friday but Mr Janetzki did not mention it while delivering a 25-page speech to the Queensland Energy Club on Tuesday in which he pledged to extend Callide’s life.

Mr Janetzki was briefed about the incident on Friday but did not refer to it in his major speech to the Queensland Energy Club – or subsequent press conference – on Tuesday.

In a floundering 13-minute media conference late Thursday afternoon Mr Janetzki conceded he “should have said” there had been an explosion – but only because it proved the LNP’s energy maintenance guarantee policy was critical.

He noted the energy market had been told of the incident on Friday and said it proved the government’s $1.4bn Electricity Maintenance Guarantee was critical.

Asked if he did not give Queenslanders the full story during his near lengthy energy speech, the minister said “that’s false”.

Mr Janetzki’s lengthy speech detailed a controversial plan to keep the Callide coal-fired power station running past its 2028 retirement date.

Callide Power Station.

He also refused eight times to say when he told Mr Crisafulli about the Callide incident.

“The Premier was aware,” he insisted.

CS Energy revealed details on Wednesday afternoon about a “pressure spike” incident that significantly damaged Callide’s C3 Unit – taking it offline until at least May 30.

Staggeringly, Mr Janetzki also revealed he kept the Premier in the dark about the $4.9bn blowout to the CopperString project until the day of his speech – despite it being reported in The Courier-Mail.

“I didn’t want to tell the Premier about the $4.9bn problem until I had a solution,” he said.

Mr Janetzki did not reveal whether he discovered a solution to the CopperString blowout only moments before his speech.

He also refused to say whether the issue was discussed at Cabinet on Monday.

“I’m not going to get into cabinet deliberations,” he said.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said Mr Janetzki was in “witness protection” and accused him of covering up the Callide explosion.

“His whole energy plan was blown to smithereens, literally exploded, days before he announced it and he kept that hidden,” Mr Miles said.

“Today the LNP is keeping David Janetzki hidden.”

Damage to C3 and planned maintenance of units B1 and B2 had raised fears of an energy shortage during May.

It is understood the planned maintenance could be deferred.