NuScale’s small nuclear reactors are being spruiked as an exciting new option to supply Australia with reliable and secure electricity as the country shifts away from coal-fired power.
Labor has also slammed nuclear as too expensive and wants the Coalition to put the “fantasy” to bed, saying it’s three times as costly as other options and would not be operational for decades. One of the most appealing aspects of the design is the possibility of constructing just one reactor and then adding more over time.
“The nuclear fuel rods are designed as a nuclear battery that needs to be replaced perhaps only every 10 years or so, and the level of radioactive by-product is low.”“All of that, to me, is irresistibly attractive. And the technology starts with proven applications such as nuclear submarines, although obviously there are differences to that,” he said.
Dr Switkowski, who led a Howard government review into nuclear power, said overseas experience showed timeframes were more likely to be longer than expected, and there were also considerable commercial and political risks because the project would be built over five or more political cycles. It’s almost twice as expensive as solar thermal and storage, which is $7000 per kilowatt hour and is also expected to halve by 2050. Nuclear is not expected to get any cheaper.
Dr Switkowski said he couldn’t think of any countries that had funded investments in nuclear without government assistance, including through military programs. The AEMO chief system design officer said there were now periods during the day when electricity effectively costs “zero dollars” and the focus was now on new plants that could start up quickly to provide extra energy during peak periods instead.
Australia needs energy that can kick in quickly when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining Picture: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergOne of the major barriers to getting nuclear off the ground is that no one in Australia wants to live next to it or next to a nuclear waste dump.
Build them now!
Experts aye
Australia can’t build a car now let alone build and run safely a nuclear power station. If you want a meltdown in the first week go for it.
So your 'expert' quote is from Malcom Turnbull & the Labor party media team? What? Also depending on the numbers from that CSIRO report is a bad idea, which the SMH would know if they bothered to research their sources.
We should stop exporting iron ore etc and start exporting “experts” we have an abundance of them that for sure
Because our government never listens to experts unless they are paid for by the government and tell them what they want to hear.
There r many countries using nuclear power successfully eg France and Aus. We have had a nuclear power plant in Sydney for many years. No issue. We do not get tsunamis and r not subject 2 large earthquakes which would cause issues and we already have the fuel.
What a load of BS. Nuclear power is essential
'Experts' that's like calling those who write for 'journalists'
Lol 'experts' 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Experts?
Because it is literally their job to consider all options.
Such ridiculous, irresponsible article. . Experts? Who are the experts and what they are exerts in? . What catastrophic consequences? How would they occur and why? This article ‘smells’ so much on the AGW propaganda. How much did you get paid to publish it?
What experts? You didn't name one.
Any nuclear power plant or facility is an accident waiting to happen, no matter how stringent the safety provisions. Coal, wind and water (hydro) are NON LETHAL sources of energy. Nuclear anything is lethal. Let's NOT take the risk of killing millions of Australians.
Because, for once, they're seeing logic.
'EXPERTS' YOU SAY!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
But, are these experts actually experts on nuclear energy or experts at something else?
Is Turdbull your headlined expert?😂🤣😂 No surprise he's aligned with Labor.
Experts.
Small Nuclear Power Plants are the only solution to human generated climate change, regardless of cost. No, our educated at kindergarten level politicians have their heads in the sand. Listening to these despots who are on the verge of illiteracy.
The catastrophic failures we've had so far have not been all that catastrophic. Then consider the last 50 years of design progress...eg.
It’s a great idea but after the nbn, and I don’t really trust in their ability to execute a solution to, ... well, anything
What an absolute bullshit article.
Nuclear, coal & hydro are the only solution. Hop to it.
Loopy is thinking that wind and solar can supply all our power needs. How many wind and solar farms does it take to replace one Coal plant?
Was it the same expert that said it would never rain in Queensland again?
Good article. So obvious, small modular nuclear power plants whose fuel rods only need replacing every 10 years. Sounds expensive but much cheaper than the cost of going 100% renewables over the next 30 years which is impossible anyway.
BREAKING: is a failing business, uses fear and deception through click bait “journalism” in its pathetic death throws of survivalism.
What experts? Name them, please.
The moment you see someone quoting safety issues for nuclear power based on Fukushima, Chernobyl, or Three Mile Island you know you’re listening to someone whose knowledge of nuclear technology could be written on the back of a postage stamp
Because your so called experts are left wing propagandist’s,is probably why
Perhaps you’d like to investigate if those so called “experts” had shares in unreliable wind and solar ?
And eggs are bad for you....experts have said it for years. Oh wait.....they've changed their minds.
Click bait headline. That's not what the experts listed said at all. Re-read your own article and reconstruct an accurate headline FakeNews
Lol FakeNews
Garbage fake news
Experts paid off by the ClimateCult. Move along.
Time to find some proper “experts”. Ones that know what they are talking about.
Which 'experts'?
We’ll need something to provide our energy needs, dumb wind and solar won’t cut it, especially if the climate morons force in electric vehicles en masse.
Australia is more at risk of stupid journalism than it is of Nuclear power this is exhibit A.
Where have the experts said this?
Expert's? What BS biased anti nuclear campaigners not bloody experts as the fake news head Line suggests.
Because one of their donors wants them to.
narrative
Headline doesn’t seem to match content?
What a absolute load of rot,how long has Lucas heights been operating,70 years or thereabouts,these brainwashed idiots media writers will write any rubbish these days to justify their jobs.
Read the article. I thought it was quite balanced and informative.
The so called experts are all over the place nowadays.
$$$$ that's why. Why do they do anything?
Is it the same experts who have their money invested in RE?
Is it the same experts who said our kids would never see snow?
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