The Albanese government is taking the fight to the Coalition over the latter’s campaign to end the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the opposition’s push for nuclear reactors to help cut emissions would cost $387 billion, based on departmental costings the government says are 20 times higher than its renewables investment fund.
“After nine years of energy policy chaos, rather than finally embracing a clean, cheap, safe and secure renewable future, all the Coalition can promise is a multibillion-dollar nuclear-flavoured energy policy.” Peter Dutton is pushing for discussion about introducing small modular reactors to complement other low-emission technology.According to the departmental analysis, which used the CSIRO’s and Australian Energy Market Operator’s GenCost electricity estimates, at least 71 300-megawatt small modular reactors would be needed to replace Australia’s retiring coal plants.
The government’s Rewiring the Nation fund, an investment vehicle in clean energy projects, costs $19 billion.