A parliamentary committee’s interim report has concluded that nuclear energy is not an economically viable option for Australia, echoing numerous previous inquiries into the matter.
Dave Sweeney, nuclear analyst for the Australian Conservation Foundation, stated: “This report has found — like so many inquiries before it have found — that nuclear is not right for Australia.”
Committee member and MP for Kooyong, Monique Ryan, emphasised the need to move on from the nuclear debate, stating: “This Inquiry followed a large number of previous state and federal inquiries into nuclear power; there have been four in the last decade alone. It should be the last.
“We must draw a line under nuclear in this country. We must commit to the net zero transition at speed and at scale.”
The report comes eight months after the Coalition, led by Peter Dutton, committed to exploring nuclear power.
Sweeney highlighted the lack of answers to crucial questions surrounding the proposal.
“In the eight months since Peter Dutton committed the Coalition to nuclear power, key questions about this unique energy source’s risks and costs remain unanswered,” he said.
Key concerns remain regarding the potential costs to taxpayers and consumers, the source of water for nuclear plants, and the disposal of radioactive waste.
Sweeney questioned: “Would Australians bear the increased cost of nuclear in our tax bills, power bills or both?
“Where would the water come from and the radioactive waste go to?
“What would fill the electricity shortfall between the certain closure of coal and the uncertain start of nuclear?”
The report also raises concerns about the affordability of nuclear energy compared to renewable alternatives.
Sweeney noted: “We do know the costs of nuclear are staggering and dwarf the costs of solar — which is already on four million Australian rooftops.”
He suggested that for a fraction of the cost of a nuclear plan, the government could invest in solar energy for all Australian homes without it.
Furthermore, the insurance sector’s reluctance to cover nuclear accidents poses a significant risk to homeowners.
The report also highlights the potential for increased power bills and prolonged reliance on coal-fired power, leading to a substantial increase in carbon emissions.
“Going nuclear would increase power bills across the country and keep polluting coal-fired power stations open for longer, adding an extra two billion tonnes of climate pollution to the atmosphere — the equivalent of 200 years of Australia’s emissions from aviation,” said Sweeney.
Sweeney concluded by saying that the Coalition seems more focused on gaining political power than securing electrical power, and that Australia’s energy sector is already investing in renewables, which currently provide 40 per cent of the country’s electricity.
“Solar saves, nuclear costs,” he stated.
