What you said about Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan for Australia

Peter Dutton’s bold nuclear plan could save more than a quarter of a trillion dollars – but not everyone is convinced of the strategy. HAVE YOUR SAY

Peter Dutton’s bold plan to add nuclear energy to the power grid could save more than a quarter of a trillion dollars – but not everyone is convinced of the strategy.

The first detailed costing of Mr Dutton’s plan forecast a significant saving compared to Anthony Albanese’s renewables-heavy strategy.

The Coalition’s proposal favouring reactors across the nation finds that between now and 2050, the price would be $331 billion versus $594bn for Labor’s preferred approach, according to analysis by Frontier Economics to be made public on Friday.

The Opposition’s plan is cheaper due to a lesser need for new transmission infrastructure – relative to what the government is pursuing – and because the cost of the plants could be spread over a 50-year life, as well as an assumption that Australia’s electricity needs will not increase as fast as the ALP is betting, meaning the size of the overall task is reduced.

Ahead of the release, Mr Dutton vowed the Coalition would deliver “massive savings”.

“This means reduced power bills for households, lower operating costs for small businesses, and a stronger, more resilient economy,” the Opposition leader said.

The Mount Piper coal-fired power station.

Energy policy is set to be the most fiercely contested policy area at the next election, which must be held by May.

The Coalition has flagged opening nuclear plants on the sites of five currently operating coal-fired power stations. They are Queensland’s Tarong, northwest of Brisbane, and Callide, west of Gladstone, as well as NSW’s Mount Piper near Lithgow, Loy Yang in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, plus Muja in WA. The two other sites are former coal plants – Liddell in NSW’s Hunter Valley and Port Augusta in South Australia.

Readers, however, remain torn, with some insisting the whole topic has become a mess.

Others backed the plan, while some claim there are still better alternatives.

See what you had to say below and join the conversation >>>

Peter Dutton has set the scene for the election to be contested on energy policy. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman

WHAT YOU SAID

What a mess

John

Paid for by the people and tax payers, sold to the highest bidder.

Daryl

Labor never have and never will be good with financial decisions.

Bill

Nuclear is going to be a hard sell but sell it they must.

Terry

The oldest political trick in the book … release costings etc. that don’t stack up in the week before Christmas. And lets not forget that most of the renewable costs are private enterprise with some Government subsidies, but the nuclear costs are ALL Government. Has Dutton included the interest costs?

I’m all for it

Mark

Please, people, feel free to advance your thoughts. Nuclear fusion now produces very little waste, and in the next decade or so, none. The Liberal party has evolved with technology. We have to stop living with 70s and 80s ideologies as the Labor Party’s energy generation understanding still does. We are adults in Australia.

MelissaM15

Coal fired and nuclear like the rest of the world that are thinking ahead of time, solar and wind farms are rubbish. We are not a third world country, or at least i thought

Nick

There is a big need for Solar, Gas, Coal and Nuclear energy and n Australia. Build it and slow down immigration for the next decade until we get caught up and in front instead of constantly playing catchup

Mark

I’m Woke and Far from Broke!, please feel free to advance your thoughts. Nuclear fusion now produces very little waste, and in the next decade or so, none. The Liberal party has evolved with technology. We have to stop living in the 70s and 80s as the Labor Party’s energy generation understanding has not.

Not going to work

John

Dutton will have to revise his costs when he realizes it is impossible for one nuclear power station in Victoria to provide for the needs of all Victorians, Tasmanians, New South Welshmen living on the south coast and possibly Canberrians.

Floss

Labor also won’t talk about the cost of disposing of the solar panels and turbines every 25 years and the cost of replacing them.

Hagar

Hey Albanese. What’s the total costings for unreliable renewables? And all we get is crickets

Time for a change in government

Labor will turn Australia into a third world country, with unreliable renewable energy, that will cost more, as well the last three years a disaster cost of living, housing crises and expensive energy costs per household.

LNP clean efficient energy as well as far better economic managers

Tommy Gun

I see a lot of flying pigs. This nuclear plan will never happen!