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Electricity in Queensland
The electricity industry is made up of 4 distinct yet interconnected sectors that produce and deliver electricity to homes and businesses - electricity generation, transmission, distribution and retail.
Electricity infrastructure and assets in Queensland are owned by a mix of government and private sector companies.
The Queensland Government owns more than $35 billion of generator, network and distribution electricity assets. It continues to invest to ensure a stable and reliable supply of electricity, with significant capital investment through the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan outlines how Queensland's energy system will transform to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to provide power for generations. With 2 new renewable energy targets of 70% renewable energy by 2032 and 80% by 2035, Queensland will be powered by clean renewable energy.
- View an interactive map of the electricity assets owned by Queensland Government electricity corporations.
This guide provides an overview of the electricity industry in Queensland.
Electricity generation
Queensland has an installed generation capacity of around 17,000 megawatts, excluding rooftop photovoltaic systems (June 2023).
Open electricity generation map of Queensland
Most of the electricity generated is fed into the interconnected grid powering most of eastern and southern Australia. This is managed through the National Electricity Market (NEM) by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
Some areas of Queensland rely on generators that produce electricity within isolated networks that are not connected to the NEM. These are generally small networks with few customers.
Queensland electricity generators with over 30MW capacity
NEM generation capacity (over 30MW)
Name | Fuel type | Owner | Year commissioned | Nameplate capacity (MW) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Barcaldine | Gas | Ergon Energy Queensland | 1996 | 37 |
Barron Gorge | Water | CleanCo | 1963 | 66 |
Blue Grass Solar Farm | Solar | X-Elio | 2022 | 148 |
Braemar | Gas | Braemar Power Project Pty Ltd | 2006 | 504 |
Braemar 2 | Gas | Arrow Energy | 2009 | 519 |
Callide B | Coal | CS Energy | 1988 | 700 |
Callide C | Coal | Genuity/CS Energy | 2001 | 840 |
Childers Solar Farm | Solar | Lighthouse Solar/DIF | 2019 | 56 |
Clare Solar Farm | Solar | Clare Asset Co Pty Ltd ATF Clare Asset Trust | 2018 | 110 |
Clermont Solar Farm | Solar | Wirsol Energy | 2019 | 92.5 |
Collinsville Solar Power Station | Solar | Ratch Australia | 2018 | 42.5 |
Columboola Solar Farm | Solar | Hana Financial Investment | 2022 | 162 |
Condamine | Gas | Queensland Gas Company | 2009 | 143.4 |
Coopers Gap Wind Farm | Wind | AGL Energy Ltd | 2019 | 453 |
Daandine | Gas | Arrow Energy | 2007 | 33 |
Darling Downs | Gas | Origin Energy | 2010 | 644.5 |
Darling Downs Solar Farm | Solar | APA Group | 2018 | 121 |
Daydream Solar Farm | Solar | Edify Energy | 2018 | 168 |
Dulacca Wind Farm | Wind | Octopus | 2023 | 180 |
Edenvale Solar Park | Solar | Sojitz/ENEOS | 2023 | 72 |
Emerald Solar Park | Solar | Lighthouse Infrastructure Management Ltd | 2018 | 72 |
Gangarri Solar Farm | Solar | Shell Australia | 2021 | 120 |
German Creek | Waste coal mine gas | Energy Developments Ltd | 2006 | 45 |
Gladstone | Coal | Gladstone Power Station joint venture participants | 1976 | 1,680 |
Hamilton Solar Farm | Solar | Edify Energy | 2018 | 57.5 |
Haughton Solar Farm Stage 1 | Solar | Pacific Blue | 2019 | 100 |
Hayman Solar Farm | Solar | Edify Energy | 2018 | 58 |
Invicta | Bagasse | Haughton Sugar Company | 1996 | 50 |
Kaban Green Power Hub | Wind | Neonen | 2022 | 157 |
Kareeya | Water | CleanCo | 1957 | 86.4 |
Kennedy Energy Park | Solar and Wind | Windlab/Erusus | 2021 | 58.5 |
Kidston Solar Project Stage One | Solar | Genex Power Ltd | 2017 | 50 |
Kogan Creek | Coal | CS Energy | 2007 | 744 |
Lilyvale Solar Farm | Solar | FRV Services Australia | 2019 | 118 |
Mackay GT | Diesel | Stanwell | 1975 | 34 |
Millmerran | Coal | Millmerran Power Partners | 2003 | 852 |
Moranbah North | Waste coal mine gas | Energy Developments Ltd | 2008 | 64 |
Mount Emerald | Wind | Ratch Australia | 2018 | 180.5 |
Moura Solar Farm | Solar | Mytilineos | 2022 | 110 |
Mt Stuart | Gas/kerosene | Origin Energy | 1999 | 423.5 |
Oakey Power Station | Gas | Shell Energy | 2000 | 346.0 |
Oakey Solar Farm (stage 2) | Solar | Foresight Group | 2019 | 55 |
Pioneer | Bagasse | Sucrogen | 2005 | 67.8 |
Racecourse Mill | Biomass | Mackay Sugar | 1982 | 47.8 |
Rocky Point Sugar Mill | Green and air-dried wood | Renewable Power Australia Ltd as Trustee for FPC Green Fund Trust | 2001 | 30 |
Roma | Gas | Origin Energy | 1999 | 80 |
Ross River Solar Farm | Solar | Palisade Investment | 2018 | 128 |
Rugby Run Solar Farm | Solar | Adani Australia | 2019 | 65 |
Stanwell | Coal | Stanwell | 1993 | 1,460 |
Sun Metals Corporation Solar Farm | Solar | Korea Zinc Group | 2018 | 126 |
Susan River Solar Farm | Solar | Elliott Green Power Australia | 2018 | 85 |
Swanbank E GT | Gas | CleanCo | 2002 | 385 |
Tarong | Coal | Stanwell | 1986 | 1,400 |
Tarong North | Coal | Stanwell | 2003 | 450 |
Townsville (Yabulu) | Gas | RATCH-Australia Townsville | 2004 | 244 |
Wandoan South Solar Project | Solar | Vena Energy | 2023 | 125 |
Warwick Solar Farm | Solar | Terrain Solar/University of Queensland | 2020 | 64 |
Western Downs Green Power Hub | Solar | Neoen | 2022 | 400 |
Whitsunday Solar Farm | Solar | Edify Energy | 2018 | 57.5 |
Wivenhoe | Pumped storage | CleanCo | 1984 | 570 |
Woolooga Solar Farm | Solar | Lightsource BP Australia | 2022 | 176 |
Yarranlea Solar Farm | Solar | Risen Energy | 2020 | 103 |
Yarwun | Gas | RTA Yarwun | 2010 | 180 |
Generation outside NEM (over 30MW)
Name | Type | Owner | Year | Capacity (MW) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cannington | Gas | Energy Developments Ltd | 1999 | 35 |
Diamantina | Gas | APA Group | 2014 | 242 |
Leichhardt | Gas | APA Group | 2014 | 60 |
Mica Creek | Gas | Stanwell | 2000 | 218 |
X41 | Gas | APA Group | 2007 | 30 |
Also consider...
- Find out more about the electricity generation in the National Electricity Market.
- View the Queensland electricity generation map.
- Learn more about the Queensland Government's energy policies and initiatives.
Electricity transmission
The electricity transmission grid consists of electric lines, substations and associated equipment that transports electricity between generation facilities and the distribution networks or directly to some large customers.
There are currently 3 transmission network service providers authorised to operate in Queensland:
- Powerlink Queensland
- ElectraNet Pty Limited
- AusNet Transmission Group Pty Ltd, trading as AusNet Services.
Powerlink Queensland is the Queensland Government owned corporation (GOC) that owns, develops, operates and maintains the majority of the high-voltage electricity transmission network in Queensland.
Powerlink's network extends 1,700km from Cairns to the New South Wales border, and comprises 15,345 circuit km of transmission lines and 147 substations.
Most of the Queensland power stations in the east coast network are directly connected to Powerlink's transmission system. The Powerlink network is connected to New South Wales via the large-capacity Queensland – New South Wales Interconnector (QNI) and the smaller Terranora interconnector.
Electricity distribution
Electricity is supplied to most Queensland customers via an electricity distribution system, which connects the high-voltage transmission system to individual customer premises.
These distribution systems (also called supply networks) consist of electric lines, substations and associated equipment.
Queensland's electricity distribution networks are extensive, with a total line length of about 232,000km. Three distributors supply 2.3 million industrial, commercial and domestic electricity consumers.
Energex operates in South East Queensland. It has a distribution area of 25,000km2 which includes more than:
- 56,000km of overhead powerlines and underground power cables
- 703,000 power poles (including customer and public light poles)
- 400,000 street lights
- 50,000 distribution transformers.
View the Energex Limited distribution authority (PDF, 9.4MB).
Ergon Energy operates in rural and regional Queensland. Its network covers over 1 million km2 and consists of more than:
- 178,000km of powerlines and underground cables
- 1 million power poles.
View the Ergon Energy Corporation Limited distribution authority (PDF, 10MB).
Essential Energy (formerly known as Country Energy) is a New South Wales distributor which has a supply network that extends into Queensland near Goondiwindi. Essential Energy holds an authority to operate in Queensland and Origin Energy provides electricity as the retailer within this area.
Retail electricity providers
Electricity retailers purchase electricity from the wholesale market, pay to have it transported then sell it to individual customers.
The Queensland Government introduced full retail competition for electricity and gas markets in July 2007. Since then, all customers who are connected to the national electricity grid have had the right to choose their electricity retailer.
Retail electricity prices in South East Queensland (SEQ) were deregulated on 1 July 2016, increasing competition and resulting in more retailers entering the SEQ market.
There are now more than 20 privately owned licensed electricity retailers in Queensland actively competing with market offerings. The government-owned Ergon Energy provides retail services to regional Queensland where electricity prices remain regulated.
Electricity retailers operate under the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF), a set of national laws, rules and regulations governing the sale and supply of energy to consumers.
Also consider...
- Visit Energy Made Easy to find the best small business energy plan.
- Find out more about electricity prices in Queensland.
- Find contact details for your electricity retailer.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2024
- Last reviewed: 08 Sep 2021
- Last updated: 08 Sep 2021