The House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy was established by a resolution of appointment that passed the House of Representatives on 10 October 2024.
On 25 February 2025, the House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy released its Interim report for the inquiry into nuclear power generation in Australia.
The Committee is required to present its final report by no later than 30 April 2025.
Committee Comment
The Committee has received a large volume of evidence speculating about the potential cost for deploying nuclear power in Australia.
The Committee heard that nuclear power is costlier to build than the readily available alternatives in Australia, with experts observing that while the cost of deploying renewables is continuing to reduce, they have not seen an equivalent decrease in the cost of nuclear power. The Committee also received compelling evidence nuclear power would cost consumers more to use. The Committee believes the evidence strongly indicated SMR technology is not yet commercially available and so is not a viable option for Australia’s energy needs.
International experience demonstrates frequent significant cost overruns for nuclear power projects, and that countries like Australia without prior nuclear experience, may face a 100 per cent cost premium for initial builds. Evidence received about the private sector’s lack of interest in investing in nuclear power in Australia and the history of issues with private investment in nuclear power internationally highlights the financial challenges for this source of power, making taxpayer funding of an uncertain nuclear venture during a cost-of-living crisis a significant risk.
While the Committee is aware it does not yet have a full picture of the costs beyond deployment – such as ongoing costs, waste management, decommissioning and emergency management, it is clear from the evidence considered that the deployment of nuclear power generation in the Australian context is currently not a viable investment of taxpayer money.Mr Dan Repacholi MPChair Member for Hunter