Peter Ceeney doesn’t mind if a future Coalition government builds a nuclear power plant 10 minutes away from his plastics manufacturer in Morwell, and would consider converting his three gas-fired ovens to electricity if it did.

Residents in Morwell and Traralgon, neighbouring towns in the Latrobe Valley, are at ground zero of the country’s nuclear debate after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Wednesday announced plans to build seven government-owned nuclear power stations by 2050.