Where is the ‘mature debate’ about the health impacts of nuclear power?
When it comes to nuclear radiation, there is a clear disconnect between the medical evidence and the views of the Coalition. Since the 1950s we have known there is a link between X-rays in pregnant…
Dutton’s nuclear plan stops decarbonisation, punishes consumers and hurts the economy
OP-ED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY CHAIR MATT KEAN Achieving net zero by 2050 is non-negotiable. Australia and our global partners have agreed to targets that limit warming and maximise the chance to avoid the worst…
Inquiry into Nuclear Power Generation in Australia travels to Collie for public hearing
Usually the domain of the blue collar worker, the small town of Collie has played host to numerous federal politicians in tailored suits in recent months. Both parties have sent their leaders and a steady…
What can we actually learn from the Coalition’s nuclear power modelling?
After months of speculation, the Coalition has released the projected costs for its nuclear policy, using modelling undertaken by consultancy Frontier Economics. The plan covers seven nuclear reactors across Australia. While the modelling claims that…
Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan: Mad, bad, and extremely dangerous
It might seem weirdly appropriate that the federal Coalition should release its nuclear power policy costings on Friday the 13th, considered an unlucky day in western superstition. But that would be to downplay the sheer…
Coalition’s eye-watering nuclear price tag could buy solar for every Australian home that doesn’t have it (five times over)
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION PRESS STATEMENT ANALYSIS from the Australian Conservation Foundation has found for just one-fifth of the Coalition’s nuclear price tag, the government could install rooftop solar on every house in the country that…
What we know about the Coalition’s nuclear power costings
Coal and gas-fired power plants will stay open for longer under the Coalition’s $330 billion nuclear transition plan. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has pledged to build seven publicly-owned nuclear power plants across the country, with…
Cost-of-living to spike under Dutton’s nuclear proposal, ACTU warns
Media Release – December 13, 2024 Unions warn that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s nuclear proposal announced today will drive up power bills and worsen the cost-of-living for working people. The seven proposed nuclear reactor sites…
Peter Dutton says nuclear ‘will make electricity cheaper’ but critics says Coalition costings a ‘fantasy’
Peter Dutton claims his plan to introduce nuclear energy in Australia will “keep the lights on” at a lower cost than the Labor government’s renewables-reliant transition. “This is a plan which will underpin the economic…
Internal Coalition fears Dutton nuclear plan will confirm no return to good old days of energy prices a decade ago
Peter Dutton will unveil politically risky costings for his nuclear power ambitions on Friday amid rumblings from within the Coalition that the high-cost plan will derail his political strategy of keeping pressure on Labor over…
CSIRO GenCost: Falling costs of solar and batteries confirm integrated renewables are cheapest option
The CSIRO annual GenCost report has once again confirmed – as it has done since its launch under the Coalition government in 2018 – that integrated renewables are by far the lowest cost option for…
CSIRO Explainer: The question of nuclear in Australia’s electricity sector
In Australia’s transition to net zero emissions, the electricity sector has a major role to play. But does nuclear power have a place in our future grid? As Australia works towards emissions reduction targets in…
CSIRO reaffirms nuclear power likely to cost twice as much as renewables
The CSIRO’s new GenCost report again says a nuclear power plant for Australia would likely cost twice as much as renewable energy. Australia’s leading science agency also said nuclear power plants enjoyed relatively little financial…
Nuclear energy inquiry draws emotional response in Port Augusta
The select committee conducting an inquiry into nuclear power generation in Australia has triggered strong opinions from both sides of the fence. Aboriginal leaders, resident representatives, and leaders from the mining and energy sector have…
Nuclear energy debate draws stark gender split in Australia ahead of next year’s election
New data points to a stark gender split in attitudes towards nuclear energy, with women much more likely to say they don’t support it or think the risks are too great. Research company DemosAu surveyed…
A sneak preview of Peter Dutton’s nuclear costings
If the Liberal-National Party’s policy leads to slower emission reductions (even if they ultimately deliver net zero by 2050) this carries a serious penalty for our children and future children. If it is ignored from…
Albanese government gives firm ‘no’ to joining UK-US agreement to advance nuclear technology
The Albanese government has been put on the spot by a new agreement – which it has declined to join – signed by the United Kingdom and the United States to speed up the deployment of…
United Nations to study impact of nuclear war for first time since 1989 amid ‘elevated risk’
The United Nations will set up an expert panel to investigate how nuclear war would impact all facets of society. It’s the first study of its kind since 1989 and has been prompted by concerns…
Indonesia, Solomon Islands join countries banning nuclear weapons, putting Australia at odds with neighbours
Indonesia, a country of 275 million and one of Australia’s closest neighbours, is stepping up efforts to enforce a global ban on nuclear weapons. This week, it officially joined the United Nations Treaty on the…
Compelling Economics of Renewables Unmask Fossil Fuels and Nuclear
Due to lower cost and higher efficiency, the IPCC has stated that renewables, particularly solar and wind, are ten times more effective at cutting carbon dioxide emissions than nuclear. DC Journal https://dcjournal.com/compelling-economics-of-renewables-unmask-fossil-fuels-and-nuclear
Ontario’s huge nuclear debt and other things Dutton doesn’t understand about cost of electricity
It seems our alternative Prime Minister Peter Dutton’s favourite topic is your electricity bill. Given how much he talks about electricity prices, you’d think he might know a fair bit about what makes up your…
Nuclear claims ‘crumble’ as PM goes on energy attack
Australia pursuing nuclear energy would not be playing to the country’s strengths, the energy minister says, as the prime minister goes on the attack on power sources. Anthony Albanese will spruik renewable energy in NSW’s…
Let’s be clear, Peter Dutton’s energy plan is more focused on coal and gas than it is on nuclear power
It seems reasonable to call the Coalition’s policy what it primarily is: a proposal to expand fossil fuels Some news you may not have clocked last week while the focus was on important things like…
Pushing nuclear power in Queensland would be ‘hugely messy’ for a future Dutton government, constitutional law experts say
A clear line in the sand divides Queensland’s new Liberal National government from the federal Coalition on the topic of nuclear power. On Sunday, just hours after the LNP’s state election victory, federal Nationals leader…
Michiko’s story: How a Japanese girl survived an atomic bomb
As the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to Nihon Hidankyo – the organisation of Japanese atomic bomb survivors – Michiko Kodama’s experiences are testimony to the horrors and long-term effects of nuclear weapons. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/10/27/michikos-story-how-a-japanese-girl-survived-an-atomic-bomb
War risks from nuclear power plants? Just look at Zaporizhzhia
Proposals for nuclear power in Australia will have to take national security risks into account. As evidenced in an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report released in September, Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power…
‘You couldn’t make this up’: Expert pans Ontario nuclear option
Ontario subsidises its citizens’ electricity power bills by $7.3 billion a year from general revenue, an international energy expert has said, contradicting the Coalition’s claim that nuclear reactors would drive power prices down in Australia….
How conservatives aim to nuke us all
The current pro-nuke lobby that is now spreading its influence in Australia had its start a year ago in a freebie-funded trip by Australian opposition politicians to the UK. Their destination was an inaugural mass…
Should we be looking to Ontario’s nuclear energy solutions here in Australia?
Peter Dutton often makes reference to how successful Ontario’s nuclear transition has been, but is that really the case? Professor Mark Winfield who co-chairs the faculty’s sustainable energy initiative at York University in Ontario thinks…
SBS report: The inquiry into nuclear power generation in Australia
Federal public servants have told a parliamentary committee it would likely take at least a decade for Australia to have a nuclear industry in operation. The Coalition will take a nuclear policy to the next…
Union slams “false hope” in nuclear push, warns energy jobs at risk
Queensland’s sparkies have been warned of the “huge risk” to thousands of jobs in renewable energy posed by nuclear plans. The Electrical Trades Union told electricians and apprentices in a mass mailout on Wednesday that…
Sellafield cleanup cost rises to £136bn amid tensions with Treasury
National Audit Office questions value for money as predicted bill for decommissioning increases by £21bn Europe’s most hazardous industrial site has previously been described by a former UK secretary of state as a “bottomless pit…
Matt Kean lambasts ‘wild fantasy’ of former Coalition colleagues to extend coal power and build nuclear plants
Climate Change Authority chair says Peter Dutton’s energy policy would drive up electricity bills and deter investment in renewables Extending the life of ageing coal-fired power stations before nuclear plants can be built is a…
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton heckled by protesters opposed to building a nuclear power station in Collie
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been met by angry protesters in Collie, who oppose his plan to build a nuclear power station in the town. Mr Dutton was meeting with local shire representatives and was…
Queensland Premier Steven Miles is promising to hold a vote on nuclear power. Here’s why
Queensland Premier Steven Miles this week declared his party would hold a plebiscite on nuclear power if it returns to office at the forthcoming state election. The move is in response to plans by the…
Coalition claims of a nuclear power renaissance in UK further expose its shameless policy con
A cursory look at the international experience is enough to expose the LNP’s shameless con, designed only to disrupt and delay our accelerating transition to abundant, reliable, low-cost firmed renewables. RENEW ECONOMY https://reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-claims-of-a-nuclear-power-renaissance-in-uk-further-expose-its-shameless-policy-con
Nuclear plant ‘will decimate fish stocks’
The company building it accepts fish will be killed in its system, but wants to create new habitats. Proposals for the sea-water cooling system at Hinkley Point C will see 44 tonnes of fish ingested…
Inquiry into nuclear power generation in Australia
The House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy was established by a resolution of appointment that passed the House of Representatives on 10 October 2024.The Committee will inquire into matters referred to in the resolution of appointment and is…
“Differences of opinion:” Queensland state LNP insists it will not sign up to Dutton’s nuclear plan
They might be friends but Peter Dutton and his Queensland state counterpart David Crisafulli are a long way off agreeing on nuclear power. Mr Dutton has promised to build seven nuclear plants across Australia if…
If Peter Dutton has a better understanding of the cost of building nuclear, then let’s see it
Two weeks ago, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis released a report analysing how much electricity prices and Australian household energy bills would need to rise to make nuclear power plants financially viable. …
Nuclear Concerns – Hiroshima, Maralinga and Dutton’s Australia
It’s abundantly clear in these past months, courtesy certainly of the Murdoch press, the present Opposition Leader has a fascination with things nuclear. This is despite the truth of the oft cited shorthand anti-nuclear power…
Dutton’s nuclear plan would mean propping up coal for at least 12 more years – and we don’t know what it would cost
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has revealed the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan relies on many of Australia’s coal-fired power stations running for at least another 12 years – far beyond the time frame officials expect the ageing facilities to last….
Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan still has no costings, and no grid connection: It’s a political hoax
Unusually for a CEDA event, there was only a scattering of corporate table sponsors – ANZ, KPMG, and Clayton Utz – and most of the ballroom was partitioned off. Among the 160 attending, quite small…
Peter Dutton refuses to divulge costs of going nuclear at anticipated ‘could it work’ speech
Coalition’s lack of costings and absence of detail has been seized upon by critics of Australia’s potential landmark energy shift. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/23/peter-dutton-nuclear-power-policy-speech-renewables
Dutton’s truth-sounding nuclear power arguments are for generating impressions, not information
The opposition leader keeps bypassing questions over the cost of his energy plan – while leaning on little more than fuzzy assurances. https://www.theguardian.com/global/2024/sep/24/peter-dutton-ceda-speech-coalition-nuclear-power-plan-costs
Nuclear would add hundreds to power bills and leave half of energy needs unmet, reports claim
A United States think tank suggests power prices would rise in Australia by hundreds of dollars if it adopted the Coalition’s nuclear plan. The government has also used analysis of supply shortfalls to attack the…
Global status report highlights parlous state of nuclear power sector
DR JIM GREEN Nuclear’s share of global electricity generation declined from 9.2 percent to 9.1 percent in 2023, little more than half of its peak of 17.5 percent in 1996. In the 20 years from…
Coalition’s nuclear plan to switch off solar for up to 3 million homes
New analysis from the Smart Energy Council shows the introduction of seven nuclear reactors to Australia will shut down solar panels in millions of households. Smart Energy Council Chief Executive John Grimes says the true…
Evaluating nuclear power’s suitability for climate change mitigation
The article’s primary argument centres around the unresolved technical and human risks of accidents and proliferation, which are unlikely to be effectively mitigated in the future. Furthermore, it highlights the significant cost disparities between nuclear…
Record weeks for renewables blow up Dutton’s nuclear con
The record high of low-cost wind and solar in the grid comes as we are still waiting for the costing on the Coalition’s plan to nationalise the eye-watering cost of seven nuclear plants. The record-high…
The anti-wind farm groups pushing the nuclear option to rural Australia
Conservative economists, lobbyists, commentators and energy boffins have descended on regional communities nominated by the Coalition for nuclear sites, in a raft of events aimed at changing hearts and minds in the bush. Organisers hope…
Putin’s war is raising risk of another Chernobyl, says historian who inspired hit TV show
Serhii Plokhy’s account of the 1986 disaster stunned readers and TV audiences. Now his new book warns that the threat of nuclear terror has only increased. Plokhy’s book details how up until now the IAEA…
The Coalition has turned its renewable energy denial into a nuclear roadmap to nowhere. It’s exhausting
“It says a Dutton government would take steps to slow viable electricity generation coming into the system while the system faces a cliff, with 90% of remaining coal plants forecast to have shut by 2035….
Peter Dutton’s nuclear lies
A fact-check of the media release of June 19, where Peter Dutton announced that a future Coalition government would introduce nuclear energy to Australia. and subsequent claims made by the leader of the opposition in…
WA government rejects Dutton’s push to lift uranium mining ban
Western Australia’s mines minister has rejected calls from federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton to overturn the state’s long-standing ban on uranium mining and insisted that future energy needs will be met by renewable sources. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-08/wa-uranium-mining-policy-to-stay-despite-nuclear-energy-push/104196130
Nuclear Power in Australia – it’s absurd
Nuclear power may seem attractive to voters as a way to easily meet the greenhouse gas reduction targets. However, having worked on coal fired and nuclear power plant construction myself, I can see where ‘the…
Nuclear means choosing drinking water, irrigation or power: Miles
Queensland Premier Steven Miles was keen to build on the reputation his government has created in rural parts as a protector of the state’s water assets when he addressed the Rural Press Club of Queensland…
Dutton praises Canada to sell nuclear plan. But does Ontario really have cheaper power?
There’s a community in Ontario called Dutton which, right now, seems appropriate given the number of times Peter Dutton has name-checked the Canadian province over the last 12 months. In dozens of media interviews and…
Thousands of Aussie farms in ‘ingestion zone’ under proposed nuclear plan threatening food production
The federal government has claimed that under an opposition-proposed nuclear plan, more than 11,000 farms would fall within a nuclear “ingestion zone”. Food, milk and water within an 80km radius of the proposed nuclear reactors…
Solar industry sees first projects put on ice as nuclear proposal sows doubt among investors
First signs of viable jobs available in the short-term in the regions to be put on the line as a direct result of the Coalition’s speculations on nuclear. ABC News https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-22/solar-farm-investor-doubt-coalition-nuclear-proposal/104123874?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-22/solar-farm-investor-doubt-coalition-nuclear-proposal/104123874?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other
Communities at proposed nuclear sites launch joint Campaign against Dutton’s “half baked Idea”
Community organisations from the seven regional communities where Peter Dutton proposes to house nuclear reactors today launch a regional community alliance and a joint campaign to say NO to nuclear. Sign the petition here and…
Czech nuclear deal shows CSIRO GenCost is too optimistic, and new nukes are hopelessly uneconomic
Taking the Czech announcement as a baseline, building two to four 1000 MW nuclear plants in Australia would probably cost $50-$100 billion, and not be complete until well into the 2040s. RENEW ECONOMY https://reneweconomy.com.au/czech-nuclear-deal-shows-csiro-gencost-is-too-optimistic-and-new-nukes-are-hopelessly-uneconomic
Joint Ministerial Statement on Nuclear Reactors on Agricultural Land
Agriculture Ministers of the Governments of Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, expressing serious concern about the potential impact of nuclear reactors on…
Chris Bowen -Nuclear would ‘wreck’ renewables
Mr Bowen warned a move to nuclear energy would “wreck the renewables rollout” and leave Australia with more expensive and unreliable power for longer.The Coalition’s nuclear election bid further risked the loss of investment in…
Hidden costs? Cheaper energy? ‘Farcical’ locations? Debunking the hype around nuclear.
One of the biggest claims the Coalition makes is that nuclear energy could bring down the price of electricity in Australia. Tim Buckley, director of think tank Climate Energy Finance, questioned how a form of…
CSIRO chief executive says Peter Dutton’s comments on energy report ‘corrode public trust in science’
Earlier this year, the national science agency released its annual GenCost report, which found powering Australia with nuclear energy would cost about twice as much as renewables.It sparked Peter Dutton, who will be campaigning on…
French nuclear giant scraps SMR plans due to soaring costs
The French nuclear giant EdF, the government owned company that manages the country’s vast fleet of nuclear power stations, has reportedly scrapped its plans to develop a new design for small nuclear reactors because of…
Nuclear more costly and could ‘sound the death knell’ for Australia’s decarbonisation efforts, report says
Analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance says even if nuclear is successfully implemented it would be ‘at least four times’ more expensive than average cost of renewables Even if they succeeded, the levelised cost of…
New analysis: Nuclear reactors a disaster for climate emissions
New analysis has found the impact on climate change of attempting to adopt nuclear reactors in Australia would be the equivalent of emitting double the 2022 annual emissions of the resource state of Oman, every year…
Australia will not come close to net zero by 2050 under Coalition’s nuclear plan
Analysis shows that the Coalition’s nuclear strategy, if it met its stated aims, would see nuclear plants account for approximately 12 per cent of total electricity generation by 2050. “The slowed pace of the renewables…
When it comes to power, solar is about to leave nuclear and everything else in the shade
The Economist produced a special issue, titled Dawn of the Solar Age. The June 22 2024 solar special issue. Whereas nuclear power is barely growing, and is shrinking as a proportion of global power output, The Economist reported…
SURF Coast residents gathered at Anglesea Community House to voice their opposition to nuclear power last week.
The Australian Conservation Foundation facilitated the meeting, where campaigner Rastko Antić noted the strong community sentiment against having a reactor in Anglesea or anywhere in Australia. “The urgent need for climate action motivated many to…
Hidden costs? Cheaper energy? ‘Farcical’ locations? Debunking the hype around nuclear.
Dutton told the Today show on 21 June: “In Ontario, for example — they have 60 per cent nuclear in the mix there, their electricity prices are a quarter of what it is here in…
CSIRO chief executive says Peter Dutton’s comments on energy report ‘corrode public trust in science’
The GenCost report is produced annually by the Australian Energy Market Operator, and projects the cost of electricity generation and storage for different technologies up to 2050, including integration costs. It found large nuclear was…
Nuclear energy creates the most dangerous form of radioactive waste. Where does Peter Dutton plan to put it?
A CSIRO analysis last month showed there is no economic argument for nuclear energy in Australia, even without considering the substantial cost of waste disposal and storage. Include waste in the maths, and the Coalition’s…
Coal will no longer be burned for power in Australia within 14 years.
The lowest cost way to give us electricity in the future is renewable energy, connected with transmission and distribution, firmed with storage and using gas-powered generation as farmers might use a diesel generator – as…
Nuclear debate is getting heated, but whose energy plan stacks up?
We take a look through the biggest of those talking points to see whether they stack up. SYDNEY MORNING HERALD https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nuclear-debate-is-getting-heated-but-whose-energy-plan-stacks-up-20240624-p5jo45.html
The Coalition says the rest of the G20 is powering ahead with nuclear – it’s just not true
So much has been said by the Coalition about what nuclear energy could do for Australia, with so little evidence to back it up, that it can be hard to keep up with the claims….
Nuclear goes backwards, again, as wind and solar enjoy another year of record growth
Nuclear power’s share of global electricity generation has fallen to 9.2 percent, its lowest share in four decades and little more than half of its peak of 17.5 percent in 1996. https://reneweconomy.com.au/nuclear-goes-backwards-again-as-wind-and-solar-enjoy-another-year-of-record-growth
Dutton races to the polls with coal-to-nuclear fantasy
Tony Barry, former deputy state director of the Victorian Liberal Party, describes the Coalition’s decision to make nuclear power the centrepiece of its energy and climate policy as “the longest suicide note in Australian political history”. https://reneweconomy.com.au/dutton-races-to-the-polls-with-coal-to-nuclear-fantasy
Coalition “in a panic” about response to confused and unpopular nuclear power plan
An unnamed Coalition MP said of the Liberal and National Party rooms: “My read is they’re in a panic about it. They don’t know what to do.” A Coalition frontbencher said Dutton is “obsessed with…
Divide and squander: Dutton wants seven nuclear power plants, the first by 2035
Imagine being able to call a press conference and just make stuff up for half an hour on the most important policy challenge of our time. Thats what Peter Dutton and his colleagues just did….
Peter Dutton reveals seven sites for proposed nuclear power plants
What a debacle. Peter Dutton just announced 7 nuclear reactors for sites around Australia. He doesn’t know how much it’s going to cost. He doesn’t know what kinds of model he intends to build. Somehow…
Dutton’s big nuclear plan: “A serious joke” that is mad, bad and dangerous
So, here it is, finally, the Coalition’s nuclear policy – a massive and dangerous boondoggle to build expensive nuclear power plants that presents a serious threat to Australia’s renewable energy transition, and the country’s economic…
‘Nuclear energy won’t stop cows from burping’: Peter Dutton needs a plan that goes beyond the electricity sector
At least this one wins the most creative headline competition. It’s true: even if nukes were cheap enough to build (they’re not) and could be delivered in time (they couldn’t) and were safe enough to…
Nuclear reactors ‘will be in National party seats’, Littleproud says
We’re getting warmer, as the Liberals and Nationals inch closer to disclosing where they plan to target for nuclear power. We will be very upfront and honest. They will be in National party seats. We’ve…
Dutton confirms nuclear push and climate denial go hand in hand: The pretence has gone
Here it is, mask off: Dutton intends to use nuclear power as a weapon to kill renewable energy. So, let there now be no doubt or confusion: Opposition leader Peter Dutton has confirmed that his…
Coalition to dump Australia’s 2030 climate target, arguing 43 per cent emissions reduction is unachievable
Abandoning the target would also mean withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The Coalition argues Labor will fail to meet the target, while significantly damaging Australian industry in the process of trying. But it remains committed…
Opposition’s nuclear-energy policy would increase defence risk
This is an angle that many people won’t have considered: The Australian Liberal-National opposition’s proposal to build nuclear power stations on the sites of old coal-fired plants is misguided. The policy would perpetuate Australia’s concentration…
Dutton calls for mature debate on energy future
…and then brands people who disagree with him as “childish.” We sure are looking forward to this mature debate! Anyway take a deep breath: here he is announcing nothing in particular on twitter/x.
If regional communities don’t want a windfarm, why would they accept a nuclear power station?
Quick answer: they won’t. The Coalition’s energy policy is leveraged on regional discontent about renewables. But many farmers don’t want nuclear in their back yard either Gabrielle Chan, The Guardian Read the full article at…
Energy buffs give small modular reactors a gigantic reality check
When the industry lost faith in the gargantuan costs of building big reactors, some of them seized on the possibility of rolling out batches of small modular reactors (SMRs), despite never having come to grips…
Where Aussie nuclear reactors would be: MSN Newswire
“Australians “won’t have to wait long” to find out if the Coalition plans to build a nuclear reactor in their backyard, with policy and possible locations to be announced soon. The Coalition won’t be drawn…
RenewEconomy: “We haven’t been consulted:” Coal town on transition to renewables is not interested in nuclear
“A Western Australian coal town lined up as a potential site for a nuclear power station by the federal Coalition says the plan is a distraction as it works to ditch fossil fuels and transition…
The Fifth Estate: “Inside the nuclear influence machine”
Is the push for nuclear power in Australia more stalking horse for coal than a genuine alternative for a clean energy future? Here’s how the nuclear cabal is working its pitch “There’s a sophisticated, well…
CSIRO releases 2023-24 GenCost report
Each year, CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) collaborate with industry stakeholders to update GenCost. This leading economic report estimates the cost of building new electricity generation, storage, and hydrogen production in Australia…
Climate Council news brief: Nuclear power stations are not appropriate for Australia – and never will be
Periodically, as with the changing of the seasons, various individuals appear in the media singing the virtues of nuclear energy…
Peter Dutton’s nuclear push is a “suicide note” playing mostly to right wing echo chambers
The pro-nuclear bias of the Murdoch media is plain for all to see, and has been confirmed by a recent academic analysis. A note of dissent recently came from James Campbell, a political editor for Murdoch…
Nation’s science agency CSIRO hits back at Dutton claim that nuclear power costings were ‘discredited’
It’s pretty rare for the CSIRO to make such an intervention, but maybe they’re as sick of Peter Dutton’s crude disinformation as everyone else: The nation’s leading science institution, the CSIRO, has defended its research…
ABC News: Coalition’s plan to go nuclear puts five regions on the table as favoured locations for nuclear reactors
“There are just a handful of regions in Australia shaping up as the most likely candidates for the Coalition’s proposal to install nuclear reactors in Australia, as the party eyes retiring coal stations as a…
Coalition’s nuclear SMR poster boy cancels flagship project due to soaring costs
“NuScale, the controversial proponent of nuclear small modular reactor designs that has been championed by the federal Coalition and technology ideologues around the world, has had its flagship project cancelled because of rising costs.
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Nuclear Debate
Following the IPCC report and the Nationals push to lift the ban on nuclear power find out the latest on where the nuclear debate is up to.
Advanced isn’t Always Better
Below is a summary of key findings from the research titled “Advanced isn’t Always Better” by Edwin Lyman from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
latest push for nuclear
The latest push for nuclear power in Australia came last week in the New South Wales Productivity Commission economic recovery plan “white paper”. The Productivity Commission recommend lifting the ban on nuclear power. The National…
35th anniversary of Chernobyl .
The 35th Anniversary of Chernobyl’s nuclear disaster comes as there is renewed pressure around the globe to go nuclear. For more information about the hype and to bust the myths about nuclear power see our…
green energy nuclear debate
The green energy nuclear debate is unfolding in Europe in the lead up to COP26 in Glasgow and as the European Commission decides on what energy sources are ‘sustainable.’ The European Union (EU) is developing…
Fukushima 10 years on
Fukushima 10 years on – there is much to reflect on. It was 10 years ago that the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami tore through the country and led to the nuclear disaster that…
Energy Policy Chaos
This week the Coalition governments energy policy chaos has been dominated by fringe fossil fuel and pro nuclear interests. This latest resurgence of pro nuclear propaganda has followed from a recent move by a few…
Final Report on environment laws
The final report on environment laws in Australia has been made public this week. In Summary, the Final Report: recommends that “nuclear actions” remain a Matter of National Environmental Significance (MNES) this means all proposals…
Victorian Inquiry into Nuclear
The Victorian Inquiry into Nuclear has concluded that there is no justification to remove the prohibition on nuclear power or invest in any further review of nuclear power. Below are the key findings for the…
Report: Nuclear power “no solution for a cleaner world”
Market Watch reports that a recent Nature Energy study collected data from 123 countries over a 25-year period, examining how the introduction of either nuclear-power or renewable-energy sources affects each country’s levels of carbon emissions….
Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
Honduras has became the 50th country to ratify the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, the treaty will now become international law making nuclear weapons illegal. An Australian NGO, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)…
IEA World Energy Outlook
In September the International Energy Agency released the edition of the 2020 World Energy Outlook. For the first time it has pegged solar as the king of future electricity markets. Conversely, nuclear power looks set…
Uranium mining
https://vimeo.com/457971515 In Australia uranium mining has been plagued with leaks, spills, accidents and met with fierce opposition from First Nation communities and the public. There is a national review of Australia’s environment laws which threatens…
Energy Roadmap and Small Modular Reactors
Today the Federal Minister for Energy Angus Taylor released an energy roadmap. Not only does the roadmap include an unfortunate “watching brief” on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) – it locks in no new emissions targets…
What is new nuclear technology really…
What are Generation IV, advanced nuclear, new reactors? The Australian parliament’s ‘inquiry into the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia’ in 2019 made the bizarre recommendation to retain the existing ban on nuclear power, but…
Scott Morrisons new laws
Scott Morrison’s government has put forward the “Streamlining environmental approvals bill” which would weaken our national environment laws. The bill would transfer all project approvals to state and territory governments. This includes uranium mine projects….
No need for nuclear
Plans for renewable energy in Australia are becoming more possible. Firstly, new research shows a 20 year plan to reach between 70 -94% renewable energy by 2040. Secondly, Nuclear reactors take on average 20 years…
nuclear power push & mining interests
The push to lift the ban on nuclear power in Australia has been driven by interests in uranium mining. This push is less about climate change and more about lifting the uranium price. The slump…
Renewable Energy Status
REN21 is a global network from science, academia, governments, NGOs and industry. They have released their annual Renewables Global Status Report.1 It shows renewable energy is growing faster than nuclear power. Nuclear Power Can Not solve…
Latest nuclear power push – deliberately deceptive
Climate change energy options and nuclear power An opinion piece published in The Australian this week makes a claim that the Construction Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union supports nuclear power. This is deliberately misleading….
Environmental laws review report released
Nuclear Power Cannot Solve the Climate Crisis The long awaited Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act review report has been released today. The report does not recommend the removal of prohibitions to nuclear power. The report…
Push to fast-track uranium mines no answer to climate crisis
The uranium mining industry are advocating to weaken Australia’s environmental approval process. But the push to soften environmental approvals is no answer to the climate crisis. Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at RMIT, Dr Gavin…
Renewable energy transition makes dollars and sense
Read More An article published by the UNSW debunks claims that renewable energy will harm the economy. The article says “A/Prof Diesendorf said their findings were controversial in light of some fossil fuel and nuclear…
Let’s end Australia’s climate and energy warfare, Albanese tells Morrison
Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese recently presented an energy plan to the Press Club calling for a shift in the political divide that has persisted in Australian energy debates for far too long. Where…
Nuclear in mix for miners on emissions
June 22nd – The Australian READ @ the Australian Small nuclear reactors, advanced battery technology and more gas-fired power generation must be part of the government’s blueprint to lower emissions, according to the nation’s largest miners and resources companies. ……
MCA goes nuclear
The Minerals Council of Australia have released their long awaited Climate Action Plan. The plan has been described as vacuous and vague. The four page plan which is a series of bullet points places mining…
Nuclear power, coal and Narrabri Gas Project to help power industry: Joyce
Nuclear and coal-fired power along with the Narrabri gas project could all be options to power the future of manufacturing in Tamworth. read more
New nuclear technologies to be examined in planning Australia’s energy mix
The Morrison government has flagged examining “emerging nuclear technologies” as part of Australia’s energy mix in the future in a new discussion paper kicking off the process of developing its much-vaunted technology investment roadmap. read…
Mystic meg from down under
I have to conclude that the Deputy Prime Minister of New South Wales, John Barilaro, is a remarkable clairvoyant. He has announced unequivocally on Australian media that Rolls Royce is set to build up to…
Nuclear is getting hammered by green power and the pandemic
The nuclear industry has been vying for a role as the perfect partner to the surging, but intermittent, renewables sector for years, citing its role as a stable source of emissions-free power. Nations around the world have…
Could nuclear reactors called SMRs be a possible energy source for Queensland?
“While I think the technical and most of the economic challenges of SMRs could be solved, I think that solar and wind with storage looks more attractive,” Mr Wood said…. Read more
The Promise And Peril Of Nuclear Power
“We have a shortage of time and we have a shortage of money, and nuclear energy is bad for both,” Arjun Makhijani, the head of Institute for Energy and Environmental Research… Read More
US urges Australia to consider nuclear
A top Trump administration official has urged Australia to join the US in researching and building small “modular” nuclear reactors to slash carbon dioxide emissions, arguing solar and wind can’t provide enough reliable power. read…
A nuclear power station is inappropriate for the Central Coast
Letter to the editor: Nuclear power stations can’t be built under existing law in any Australian state or territory. They are a more expensive source of power than renewable energy such as solar or wind….
Barilaro retreats on Nationals support for One Nation nuclear bill
Deputy Premier John Barilaro has walked back his party’s support for a One Nation bill to allow nuclear power in NSW, as the issue threatened to split the Coalition. Mr Barilaro, a long-time advocate of…
Fukushima nine years on: Warnings for Australia
The anniversary of the Australian uranium-fuelled Fukushima nuclear disaster is no time to open the door to an expanded nuclear industry in Australia, writes Dave Sweeney. read more
Premier must stand up to Barilaro on nuclear power
Deputy Premier John Barilaro has issued another ultimatum to the NSW government, this time over his obsession with starting a nuclear industry, but it is high time Premier Gladys Berejiklian called his bluff. Mr Barilaro…
Supporters of nuclear need a reality check: it’s staggeringly expensive
The NSW Parliament’s State Development Committee released its report into nuclear power last week. Conservative committee members recommended repeal of state laws banning uranium mining and nuclear power, while Labor members want to retain the…
Barilaro’s nuclear push bitterly dividing Coalition
Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s support for a One Nation bill to allow nuclear power in NSW is bitterly dividing the Coalition, with a senior Liberal minister prepared to quit cabinet over the issue. In the…
Barilaro says Nationals will support Latham’s nuclear power bill
Deputy Premier John Barilaro says the NSW Nationals will support Mark Latham’s bill to allow nuclear power in NSW, in a move likely to cause a split in the junior Coalition party. Read more
Conservative push for nuclear power will drive a wedge into the Coalition
The NSW Parliament’s State Development Committee has released its report into nuclear power. In a rare show of unity, conservative committee members held together, with Liberals, Nationals, Shooters Fishers and Farmers, and Paulina Hanson’s One…
Nuclear cost and water consumption – The elephants in the control room
December 2019 – Peter Farley, a member of the Australian Institution of Engineers, compares the economics of nuclear power and renewables and concludes that for one third of the investment, in one third of the time, we…
Legislation banning nuclear power in Australia should be retained
Nuclear power in Australia is prohibited under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. A review of the EPBC Act is underway and there is a strong push from the nuclear industry to remove the…
Anthony Albanese urged to rethink nuclear option
Nuclear energy options will be canvassed in the Morrison government’s technology investment plan, amplifying pressure from senior ALP figures and unions for Anthony Albanese to reconsider his opposition to nuclear in support of Labor’s zero…
There is still no place for nuclear energy in Australia
OPINION: Josh Wilson MP I find it astonishing that while our communities and ecosystems alike suffer through Australia’s first national climate change disaster there are politicians who seek to distract from the key challenges before…
Solar thermal power the way forward for Australia despite hiccups, nuclear expert says
s the world looks to Germany as a shining example of how to shift away from polluting coal power, a Queensland-based nuclear expert says solar thermal power is the way forward for Australia… Dr Wilson…
The dangers of nuclear power in Australia
Long-time anti-nuclear campaigner and writer Dr Helen Caldicott believes the risks of nuclear power outweigh the benefits. Read More
Labor bipartisanship on nuclear energy needed: AWU
The Australian Workers’ Union (a conservative union) has stepped up its call for Australia to embrace nuclear power by urging Labor’s leader to provide the bipartisanship needed. Read More
Nuclear power went backwards in 2019, and the outlook is bleak
Nuclear power went backwards last year with the permanent shutdown of nine power reactors and the startup (grid connection) of six. Startups were concentrated in Russia (three) and China (two), with one in South Korea….