Show us nuclear costs, Chris Bowen tells Peter Dutton

afr.com:

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has called on the Coalition to disclose cost estimates for replacing coal-fired power stations with nuclear power, claiming the opposition had been dishonest in suggesting it could be cheaper than renewables.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has said thatnuclear power could be used in Australia, as it is in Canada, to cut carbon emissions while also offering secure supply to back up intermittent renewables.

“They have said that, over time, the costs will come down [for nuclear power,]” Mr Bowen told The Australian Financial Review Energy & Climate Summit. “OK, well show us what your costings are then.”

Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the Coalition is acting dishonestly by suggesting nuclear power could be cheaper than renewables  Oscar Coleman

A $387 billion price tag calculated by Mr Bowen’s department was based on estimates of 71 small modular reactors (which are still under development) replacing Australia’s coal plants. Opponents claim the figure is inflated, but the minister said it was up to the Coalition to specify how many reactors it thought were needed. “If it’s not 71, what is the figure? Is it 20, is it 40?”

Mr Bowen said America’s Westinghouse Electric, which was trying to get approvals to make small modular reactors, was “talking their book” after a senior executive told the Summit the units could be built for $US1 billion each ($1.6 billion) and that Labor’s maths didn’t “make sense”.

“If they think they can deliver a nuclear power station for a billion dollars, throw in the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge,” Mr Bowen said. “Because I don’t see that as being realistic.”

“Nuclear is too slow, too expensive, too out of sync with the competitive advantages in Australia.”

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