Loy Yang one of seven proposed nuclear sites

Peter Dutton has revealed the seven sites the Coalition has identified as proposed new nuclear power plants as part of its “balanced energy mix”.

The Coalition has named the Latrobe Valley’s Loy Yang power stations as one of seven locations earmarked for a zero-emissions nuclear power plant.

All of the proposed sites are power stations that have been shuttered or scheduled to close.

“A federal Coalition Government will introduce zero-emissions nuclear energy in Australia, which has proven to get electricity prices and emissions down all over the world, to work in partnership with renewable energy and gas as part of a balanced energy mix,” leader of the opposition Peter Dutton said.

“The Coalition believes Australia must have a balanced energy mix to deliver cheaper, cleaner and consistent 24/7 electricity. Ninety per cent of baseload electricity, predominantly coal fired power stations, is coming to the end of life over the next decade.”

“Nuclear energy for Australia is an idea whose time has come.”

Mr Dutton said the sites offered important technical attributes including cooling water capacity and transmission infrastructure, as well as a local community with a skilled workforce.

He said the communities hosting one of the seven nuclear plants stood to benefit from high-paying, multigeneration jobs.

The sites are:

– Loy Yang Power Stations, VIC (AGL)

Due to be closed in 2035.

– Liddell Power Station, NSW (AGL)

Retired in 2023.

– Mount Piper Power Station, NSW (EnergyAustralia)

Due to be closed in 2040.

– Tarong Power Station, Queensland (state owned)

Due to close in 2037.

– Callide Power Station, Queensland (partly state owned, with CS Energy)

The Palaszczuk government has promised to exit coal-fired power by 2035.

– Northern Power Station, SA (Alinta Energy)

Retired in 2016.

– Muja Power Station, WA (Synergy)

Due to close in 2030.

For almost 100 years the Latrobe Valley coal mines – Loy Yang A and Loy Yang B – provided the adjoining power stations with the raw material to generate most of Victoria’s electricity.

As part of the company’s transition to renewables, ALG announced that Loy Yang A would close in 2035, 10 years earlier than first flagged.

The timeline was brokered with the Victorian state government last year, which wanted the power station to operate until at least mid-2035 to provide certainty to workers, the community and industry.

Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the agreement would “keep the lights on” while the state raced towards its target of reaching 95 per cent of renewable electricity generation by 2035.

All but one of the proposed sites are within Coalition territory, except Labor MP Dan Repacholi’s seat of Hunter, home to Liddell Power Station, and independent MP Andrew Gee, who holds the seat of Calare in western NSW, home to Energy Australia’s Mt Piper power station. Mr Gee was previously a member of the National Party, but quit to become an independent over the party’s opposition to an Indigenous Voice to parliament.

The nuclear reactors would be Commonwealth-owned and operated, much like Snowy Hydro and the National Broadband Network.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has labelled the plan as “economic insanity”, citing longer lead-times and higher establishment costs.

“It is the worst combination of economic and ideological stupidity. It is economically irrational, it is fiscally irresponsible and it means if it’s implemented Australia would fail to grab these vast economic and industrial opportunities in the net‑zero transformation in the most effective way,” Mr Chalmers told the ABC on Wednesday.