Washington | A group of US congressmen is urging Australian policymakers to ditch their opposition to nuclear energy, in a change they say would strengthen the security alliance between the countries.

While the Albanese government and powerful Australian unions have dismissed the use of nuclear reactors to help reduce emissions, several congressmen on the US House Energy and Commerce Committee told The Australian Financial Review on the sidelines of a congressional hearing into nuclear energy on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) there should be a rethink.