Earmarked for nuclear

Murrumbidgee Council General Manager John Scarce said locals are being invited to participate in a survey which “seeks to understand public sentiment regarding the possible integration of nuclear power into the local energy landscape”.

It will seek to gauge the appetite for nuclear power “in an effort to explore diverse energy solutions”.

The survey comes as the leader of the Federal Coalition Peter Dutton ramps up his calls for nuclear energy solutions to replace coal fired power in Australia.

He has been reported in national media saying nuclear reactors would provide a more reliable source of clean energy, and would avoid the need for thousands of kilometres of new transmission lines to be built.

But a CSIRO report on the question of nuclear in Australia highlights that nuclear power is not currently legislated for in Australia and that large scale nuclear power is “not the appropriate size for Australia’s relatively small electricity grids”.

The CSIRO report, released in December 2023, further states the costs for small modular reactors (SMRs) could improve over time, but will be too late to make a significant contribution to achieving net zero emissions.

It reports that the cost of wind and solar come should decrease from an average of $112 per megawatt hour in 2023 to $82 per megawatt hour in 2030, but that nuclear energy is costed at an average $509 per megawatt hour in 2023 and would be $282 in 2030.

Mr Scarce said the nuclear concept would be contingent upon dismantling existing renewable energy infrastructure, including solar and wind farms, at the end of their operational life.

“The land would then be reclaimed for agricultural purposes, aligning with sustainability and resource optimisation goals,” he said.

The survey is designed as a precursor to gathering more information on the idea, with a view to undertaking a more formal poll in the future.

"Our community's energy future is a shared responsibility, and it's crucial that we consider a diverse range of options to meet our needs sustainably,” Mr Scarce said.

“By launching this survey, we are empowering Murrumbidgee residents to contribute their voices to the discussion on energy generation.

“We recognise the importance of transparency and inclusivity in decision-making processes, and we look forward to hearing from community members.”

The survey can be accessed online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7S866X8 and will remain open until 5pm on May 22, 2024.

A series of wind, solar and overhead electricity network projects are also being investigated for the Southern Riverina region, including the Transgrid overhead electricity network between Jerilderie and Swan Hill, the Yanco Delta wind farm near Jerilderie and the Bullawah Wind Farm on the border of the Murrumbidgee and Hay Shire council areas.