By Crystal-Rose Jones

Queensland’s first new gas power station in more than a decade is set to fire up in 2028, generating enough electricity to supply about 150,000 homes during peak season.

State-owned energy corporation CS Energy has entered into a joint development agreement with APA Group to deliver the Brigalow Peaking Power Plant in the Western Downs, around three hours’ west of Brisbane.

The project is part of the Queensland government’s Energy Roadmap’s (pdf) to attract private investment to build a new gas power plant to firm up the state’s energy needs.

The Brigalow Peaking Power Plant agreement is the first stage of the investment partnership between the state and private sector.

CS Energy CEO Brian Gillespie said works on the power plant was set to begin soon.

“The Brigalow Peaking Power Plant is the most advanced gas power project in the state, with orders for long-lead time equipment secured and agreements for gas supply and connecting pipelines already in place,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Investment Corporation will also deliver the Central Queensland Gas Power Tender for an additional 400MW by 2032.

While the state-owned Stanwell Corporation progresses its gas-fired Lockyer Energy Project, and CleanCo investigates a new open-cycle gas turbine at Swanbank.

These three projects could provide more than 700MW of new gas-fired generation capacity by the start of the new decade, according to the state government.

The news also follows the announcement of the $17 billion Eva Copper Mine.

Since coming to power, the Queensland LNP government has eased its short-term renewable targets, betting big on maintaining coal and gas assets to power the grid

The approach has attracted criticism however.

In November, former premier and Queensland Labor Leader Steven Miles put forward a motion in state Parliament to compel the LNP explicitly state its support for net zero by 2050.

But LNP Treasurer David Janetzki said the LNP would pursue net zero 2050 via his party’s Energy Roadmap without the need for rigid guidelines.