The Minerals Council of Australia or MCA issued a communiqué calling on the Scott Morrison administration to repeal a current ban on nuclear power.
The release followed Morrison’s comments last week on a Tasmanian radio station, where the prime minister said he would be okay with receiving proposals from the nuclear energy industry.
However, following a negative reaction from the opposition, the Liberal politician took it to Twitter to explain that even though receiving recommendations related to non-conventional energy generation was “not ‘not’ on the agenda,” his government doesn’t have any plans to change the laws regarding nuclear power.
Australia’s known uranium resources are the world’s largest.
In response to this discussion, the MCA said that even though it acknowledges the Federal Government is not considering removing the current ban on nuclear power, the group believes now is the time to end “the discriminatory treatment of nuclear energy by repealing the ban.”
The Council argues its point by noting that nuclear energy provides 11% of the world’s electricity in a reliable fashion, at a very low cost, and with zero emissions. According to the industry organization, these are the reasons behind the recent proliferation of nuclear power stations in China, the United Arab Emirates, Finland, and the United Kingdom.
“Removing the ban would allow Australians to have a serious conversation about a genuinely technology-neutral approach towards the nation’s energy mix – delivering affordable, reliable and clean energy sources,” the release states. “The removal of the prohibition on nuclear energy will also allow for investment proposals to be brought forward.”
According to the World Nuclear Association, Australia’s known uranium resources are the world’s largest – almost one-third of the planet’s total.
Despite the fact that only three mines are currently operating in the Oceanian country, it is the third-ranking producer, behind Kazakhstan and Canada. In 2017, Australia produced 6937 tonnes of U3O8 (5882 tU), all of which were exported.
4 Comments
Noel Wauchope
Nuclear power is not all that reliable, particularly now, as climate change brings extremes of weather, for which nuclear reactors are not prepared. As they require lots of water, they are usually placed near sea or rivers, posing an increasing problem with sea level rise, and sea surges. Australia is a water short country, and should not contemplate such a water-guzzling industry.
As for nuclear being “cheap” – it’s “cheap” only where the tax-payer cops the bill – Russia, China, France etc. In USA and UK the nuclear lobby is screaming for subsidies, and the building of new reactors -Hinkley Point C, and the boondoggle in South Carolina provide a cautionary tale. As for small nuclear reactors – their only hope of being economic is if the are ordered en masse – such a risk, and consequently there are no buyers. Then there’s that little problem of radioactive trash accumulating, with no solution in sight.
Meanwhile,Australia has the opportunity to be a leader in truly clean renewable technologies, which are getting cheaper, while nuclear costs mount.
kwh
I hope this can happen. It’s such a tragedy that the world’s largest Uranium source won’t use it. With the great barrier reef, Australia has one of the most valuable, and most imperiled ecological resource. Banning nuclear power while promoting coal is securing the demise of the reef.
Andrés Sorribes Fernandez
High-activity residues of nuclear plants still are a defy ?
Alexander Judzewitsch
Australia needs to update its knowledge of nuclear reactors. The newest reactors cost less and have much less radioactive waste. Australia is a stable region where it is safe to store the waste far from inhabited areas. It would also help us to build and operate nuc;ear powered submarines instead of the WW II vintage diesel electric ones we currently plan to build at great cost.
We should at least know the latest info on the pros and cons of nuclear power instead of blindly being opposed to it.
The Liddell coal fired power station would be an ideal site for a nuclear power station and we should have a serious look at that too.