Critical Incident and Contingency Plan

Purpose. This plan sets out how the business will respond to critical incidents at any site, including fire, explosion, major plant failure, chemical release, dam safety emergency and loss of generation, and how it will maintain or restore supply.

1.Purpose and scope

A critical incident is any event that threatens life, causes major plant damage, breaches a licence, threatens the dam or removes generating capacity the market operator is relying on. This plan applies to all three sites and aligns with the state emergency arrangements and the market operator's requirements.

2.Incident levels

Level 1 is a plant event handled by the shift with the first response team. Level 2 requires the incident management team and involves emergency services or a licence breach. Level 3 is a major emergency with evacuation, a dam safety emergency or sustained loss of generation.

• Level 1: shift supervisor is incident controller
• Level 2: incident management team led by the Operations Manager
• Level 3: Station Manager leads, regulator and market operator notified

3.Roles

The shift supervisor is the initial incident controller. The first response team provides fire, rescue and first aid response. The incident management team manages the response, communication and recovery. The Station Manager is the single point of contact with the regulator, emergency services and the market operator.

4.Response actions

Response follows the sequence of protecting life, isolating energy, containing the event and preserving plant. The control room must secure running plant and must advise the market operator of any change in availability within the time the rules set.

5.Contingency plans

Contingency plans are held for loss of fuel gas supply, loss of one gas turbine, loss of the steam turbine, loss of the transmission connection, wind farm collector fault and dam spillway event. Each contingency plan states the actions to maintain or restore generation and who authorises them.

6.Communication

Emergency services, the regulator, the market operator, the water authority and neighbours will be notified according to the level. Public information will be issued only by the Station Manager or delegate.

7.Recovery and review

After the incident the business will confirm plant is safe, will complete the incident report, will hold a debrief within five working days and will exercise the plan at least twice a year.