CS Energy

CS Energy
Company typeGovernment-owned corporation
IndustryEnergy
Founded1997
Headquarters
Brisbane
,
Australia
Area served
Queensland
Key people
Darren Busine
CEO
Adam Aspinall
Chairman
ProductsElectricity
OwnerGovernment of Queensland
Number of employees
500+
Websitewww.csenergy.com.au

CS Energy is an Australia-based electricity generating company fully owned by the Government of Queensland with its head office located in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The company was established in 1997 and employs more than 500 staff.[1] Adam Aspinall is the Board Chair and Darren Busine is the Chief Executive Officer.

The company's generation portfolio comprises coal-fired power stations, energy storage[2] and renewable energy offtakes.[3] CS Energy has a trading portfolio of 3,535 megawatts in Australia's national electricity market. The company owns and operates Kogan Creek Power Station and Callide B Power Station. CS Energy also owns Callide Power Station in a 50/50 joint venture with InterGen.

CS Energy is adding the 100 MW/200 MWh Chinchilla Battery grid-scale battery to its Kogan Creek site on the Western Downs.[4] Construction is currently underway[as of?] on the battery and it is expected to be operational in late 2023.[5][needs update]

CS Energy was awarded A$32 million in 2010 to help construct Australia's first large-scale solar thermal project at Kogan Creek Power Station.[6] Funding was provided by the Rudd Government under the Renewable Energy Demonstration Program. However, in March 2016, it was announced that CS Energy would 'pull the plug' on that project,[7] at a loss of $40M to CS Energy and $6M to ARENA.

In 2020, Stanwell and CS Energy were accused of driving up prices by creating an artificial lack of supply.[8] CS Energy and Stanwell are defending a class action filed by a law firm and backed by litigation funders related to historical electricity prices. CS Energy has publicly rejected the claims being made and is strongly defending the class action.[9] An initial hearing is scheduled to commence in the Federal Court of Australia in June 2024.

Assets

Major assets owned by CS Energy include:

Management

Martin Moore was the CEO in 2017. Andrew Bills was appointed as CEO in 2018 and resigned in February 2023 following his appointment as CEO of SA Power Networks.[12] Darren Busine was appointed as the new permanent CEO in June 2023.[13]

In June 2023, Jim Soorley resigned as Chairman of CS Energy.[14] Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni confirmed Mr Soorley “has made the decision” to leave the role he has held since 2015 and will be replaced by CS Energy director Adam Aspinall.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "CS Energy: Careers". Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  2. ^ "What we do/Energy storage". CS Energy website. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  3. ^ "What we do/Solar and wind energy". CS Energy website. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  4. ^ Vorrath, Sophie (19 April 2023). "Chinchilla big battery takes shape next to country's biggest coal unit". RenewEconomy. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  5. ^ Carroll, David (27 April 2023). "CS Energy readies for testing of 200 MWh Chinchilla big battery". PV Magazine. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Queensland solar projects on power plant shortlist". The Courier-Mail. Queensland Newspapers. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  7. ^ ""CS Energy pulls plug on world's largest "solar booster" project"". RenewEconomy. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  8. ^ Rendall, Jessica (20 January 2021). "'Australia's largest energy class action' filed against Queensland power companies accused of driving up prices illegally". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  9. ^ McCarthy, John (20 January 2021). "CS Energy to defend market manipulation claims in class action". InQueensland. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  10. ^ Carroll, David (12 August 2024). "CS Energy powers up 200 MWh Chinchilla battery". PV Magazine. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  11. ^ Manning, Chris (3 March 2024). "Greenbank mega battery brings light". My City Logan.
  12. ^ Ludlow, Mark (21 February 2023). "The Australian Financial Review". Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Appointments: Leader found for CS Energy". InQueensland. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  14. ^ Walsh, Liam (5 June 2023). "Former lord mayor Jim Soorley steps down from CS Energy". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  15. ^ Windsor, Shaye (5 June 2023). "Former lord mayor Jim Soorley steps down from CS Energy". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 21 June 2023.