C2N examines the Climate Council article “Nuclear Power Stations are not appropriate for Australia and probably never will be” released 10th May 2024 against the appraisal from the findings from the Frontier Economics Report No. 2, released in December 2024.
Original Climate Council article here: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/nuclear-power-stations-are-not-appropriate-for-australia-and-probably-never-will-be/
Nuclear reactors risk our energy security – by failing to replace retiring coal
In coal-to-nuclear (C2N) projects, nuclear power stations replace coal power stations according to a predetermined sequence. This accounts for coal plant maintenance and nuclear power plant construction and commissioning. As a result, there isn’t an energy security risk as the coal power station is kept operating until the nuclear power station is switched on. Even after switching over, the coal power station can remain as a backup for as long as needed.
Going nuclear means Aussies pay more, for less
Frontier Economics Report No.2 Dec 2024 Tables 9 and 10, show that renewables plus nuclear provides a cost saving of between 25% and 44% compared to renewables only. As a result, Aussies will pay less, if nuclear is introduced into the energy mix.
Nuclear reactor projects often face big cost and timeline blowouts
Cost and time blowouts occur for: first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects that have not been proven, projects that are affected by regulatory changes, and where there are financial and supply issues for new projects.
Australia will need to purchase nuclear plant from one of the top manufacturers in the world, following a detailed assessment. It will be an nth-of-a-kind (NOAK) reactor, that has a proven track record of successful operation. By purchasing in this way, Australia minimizes the risk of any cost increases and project delays.
Nuclear reactors pose significant community, environmental and health risks
There are around 440 nuclear reactors operating globally, with spent fuel managed safely and securely. We have experience in safe fuel management at the ANSTO OPAL reactor at Lucas Heights, on the outskirts of Sydney. The OPAL reactor makes medical and industrial isotopes and has been operating without incident since 2006.
Spent fuel is not stacked in yellow drums with radiation signs stamped on. The material in these drums is low level waste materials, clothing, packaging etc that has been irradiated by x-ray machines, MRIs, fuel handling, and other processes involving medical and industrial isotopes. Low level waste contains short half-life material, that doesn’t pose long term health risks. It only requires short to medium term storage, hence it is stored in the yellow drums.
Nuclear reactors would require massive amounts of water in increasingly drought-prone regions
Both coal and nuclear power stations heat water to create pressurized steam, that in turn drives steam turbines. Both require the same water source, cooling tower, and cooling pond. So C2N projects involve a like-for-like replacement of water source and steam cycle components.
There isn’t any requirement for massive amounts of additional water, or an increase in drought risk, that was suggested. In fact, water usage can be reduced at C2N sites when coal mining operations cease.
Climate change threatens our kids’ safety, and we need to be cutting climate pollution now
Climate pollution poses a global challenge. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 7 million people die each year because of air pollution, that is largely due to burning fossil fuel.
Unfortunately, intermittent renewables, wind, water and solar aren’t sufficient, to run a large energy grid anywhere in the world. Australia’s current plan is to have a massive oversupply of renewables that last between 10 and 30 years, batteries that are the largest in the world, that last for around 10 years, and gas turbines, to operate when the batteries run low.
To make all these renewables and batteries requires fossil fuels; to rebuild every 10 to 30 years requires more fossil fuel and as a result this pathway creates a repeating cycle of excessive energy use, waste and climate pollution. It is reduced significantly by introducing nuclear power to avoid overbuilding low yield wind and solar farms and replacing batteries.