Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has hit out at the “fanatics” on both sides of the energy debate as he seized on new data showing the east coast grid has been heavily reliant on coal and gas during recent winter months because of a lack of wind and sun.

Speaking in the NSW town of Muswellbrook, the site of one of his seven proposed nuclear reactors, Mr Dutton said the data from the Australian Energy Regulator showed there would always be a need for baseload power to firm renewable energy.