Peter Dutton presses button on the nuclear energy debate

Peter Dutton will consider backing nuclear energy ahead of the next election.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in question time on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Peter Dutton will consider backing nuclear energy ahead of the next election as he attempts to unite the Coalition behind an ­energy policy that will raise ambitions on lowering emissions but retain product differentiation from the Labor government.

After the Coalition’s joint ­partyroom meeting in Canberra on Tuesday, the Opposition Leader said there would be an ­internal party review to “examine the potential for advanced and next-generation nuclear technologies to contribute to Australia’s energy security and reduce power prices”.

The review, to be led by opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien, will report to the Coalition policy committee chaired by Marise Payne.

Nuclear energy generation has been prohibited by the federal government since 1998, with legislation needing to be passed to allow the technology to be used for electricity.

Mr Dutton said it was “high time that Australia had an honest and informed debate on the benefits and costs of nuclear energy”.

“The current energy crisis has shown the importance of getting more dispatchable power into the grid,” Mr Dutton said.

“The average wholesale electricity price in the second quarter this year was three times higher than the same time a year ago – a situation described by the Australian Energy Market Operator as ‘unprecedented’.

“While renewables will play an important growing role in Australia’s energy mix, they need to be balanced by sufficient investment in dispatchable generation.”

Mr Dutton said Australian households were vulnerable over energy security given that 60 per cent of the capacity of coal-fired powered generators was expected to leave the market by 2030.

“If we are serious about reducing emissions, while at the same time maintaining a strong economy and protecting our traditional industries, all tech­nologies need to be on the table,” he said.

“Nuclear energy is a mature, proven technology. It can provide the reliable, emissions-free, base-load electricity Australia needs.”

With the Coalition divided on the way forward on climate change, MPs believe backing ­nuclear can be a way to unite city-based Liberals pushing for more ambition and Nationals MPs against higher emissions targets.

A report by the CSIRO ­released in July warned the prospect of ­nuclear generation being realised in Australia this decade was low “given the technology’s commercial immaturity and high cost”.

“Future cost reductions are possible but depend on its successful commercial deployment overseas,” the CSIRO report said.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the government’s proposal would see “the most expensive form of energy” be put into the system.

“The answer to dealing with rising power prices is the same as the answer to reducing emissions: that is more renewable energy,” Mr Bowen told parliament’s question time.

“Clean energy is cheap energy. We know the sun doesn’t send a bill, and the wind doesn’t send an invoice.”

Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable said nuclear energy could play a role in “building Australia’s economic performance and prosperity on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050”.

“Over the longer term, nuclear energy can play a key role – along with other zero-emissions energy sources like renewables and carbon capture and storage – in helping Australia meet its comm­itments under the Paris Agree­ment,” Ms Constable said.

“The opposition’s announcement to continue the examination of this important tech­nology is a sensible contribution to this ongoing debate.”