ENERGY POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Miners claim uranium ban negligent, nonsense policy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Dec-24

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable will appear before a parliamentary inquiry into nuclear power on Tuesday. Constable will argue that there is no scientific, technical or economic justification for retaining Australia’s long-standing legislative ban on nuclear energy. She will also contend that adding nuclear to the nation’s energy mix will be necessary in order to fully decarbonise the domestic economy by 2050. Electrical Trades Union organiser Simon Brezovnik has told the inquiry that nuclear energy is too expensive and high-risk.

CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION

Lynas boss backs Dutton’s nuclear plan

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 6-Aug-24

Lynas Rare Earths CEO Amanda Lacaze contends that Australia should be ‘energy-supply agnostic’, so adding nuclear power to the nation’s energy mix needs to be considered. Speaking on the sidelines of the annual Diggers & Dealers mining conference in Kalgoorlie, Lacaze said that anything that improved baseload power in the Western Australian town would be a "very good thing". Kalgoorlie’s power is currently supplied via a single transmission line covering more than 600 kilometres, plus a backup generator with a maximum capacity of four hours.

CORPORATES
LYNAS RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX LYC, DIGGERS AND DEALERS FORUM

Nuclear lawyer says Australia would not be starting from scratch

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Clare Armstrong
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 9-Jul-24

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has contended that amongst other things, legal hurdles could not be overcome quickly enough for the Coalition to achieve its ambitious target of building the first of seven nuclear power stations by 2035. However, expatriate nuclear lawyer Helen Cook argues that agreements and safety regulations that are already in place would make it easier for parliament to pass the legislative changes that would be required to add nuclear to the energy mix. She notes that Australia has already ratified most of the treaties that would be required to build and operate nuclear reactors.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

Real and growing threat to grid if Australia goes for nuclear power

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Hannam
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 26-Jun-24

The Australian Energy Market Operator has concluded that the rollout of wind and solar power needs to be accelerated as part of the energy transition. The latest edition of AEMO’s Integrated System Plan warns that there is a "real and growing" risk that replacement generation will not be available when coal-fired power stations are shut down, which underlines the need for increased investment in renewables. AEMO has also cautioned that nuclear plants could not be built and powered up before coal exits the energy grid.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED

Coalition fury as former Liberal minister and new climate chair rejects nuclear power

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 25-Jun-24

The federal government is under scrutiny after advising that Matt Kean will succeed Grant King as chairman of the Climate Change Authority. Kean is a former NSW Liberal treasurer and energy minister, who has expressed opposition to adding nuclear power to Australia’s energy mix. Kean says nuclear energy would have bankrupted his state due to the cost and length of time to build nuclear power stations. The federal Opposition is yet to disclose the likely cost of the seven nuclear power plants that it plans to build if it wins the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Nuclear debate could undermine AUKUS

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 5 : 25-Jun-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese does not expect the nation’s current debate on nuclear energy to have any impact on bipartisan support for the AUKUS alliance. However, Peter Dean from the United States Studies Centre has emphasised the need for a factually informed, evidence-based discussion on the issue of nuclear power. He adds that the alliance is not based on Australia having a civil nuclear industry, and that the scale and size of the reactors in the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines is very different to a civil nuclear power industry. Professor Dean was the lead author of the federal government’s Defence Strategic Review.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE

Coalition MPs meet to sign off on proposed nuclear reactor locations

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Clare Armstrong, Jade Gailberger
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 19-Jun-24

A number of Coalition MPs have stated that they expect Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to unveil its nuclear policy on Wednesday. The policy – and the likely location of nuclear power stations – was discussed at a shadow cabinet meeting on Tuesday night; it will then be put to a full party room meeting ahead of an official announcement. A Coalition source has indicated that the Callide and Tarong coal-fired power stations in Queensland have been identified as future sites for nuclear reactors, while Victoria’s LaTrobe Valley is said to have been ruled out.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Dutton’s perks for nuclear plan

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Apr-24

The Coalition’s push to add nuclear energy to Australia’s energy mix has received a boost from a report released by the US Department of Energy. The report concluded that replacing coal-fired power stations with nuclear reactors can generate significant economic benefits to communities where the power stations are built. Shadow climate change and energy minister Ted O’Brien says the Coalition’s energy policy will include an incentive package for coal-fired power station workers to upgrade to higher-paying jobs at nuclear plants. The Coalition has already identified about six potential sites for nuclear reactors.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF ENERGY

End of subsidy will risk power bill cut

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Patrick Commins, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 20-Mar-24

The Australian Energy Regulator’s proposed changes to the default market offer could reduce household power bills by up to 7.1 per cent in 2024-25. Businesses in turn could see their electricity costs fall by up to 10 per cent. However, the AER’s proposed changes to the default market offer will be offset by a likely big increase in electricity bills for many households if the federal government does not renew its commitment to the energy bill relief fund in 2024-25, which is jointly funded by the states. It has provided energy subsidies to people on low incomes and small businsses.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR

Gas code poised for release

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Colin Packham
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 5-Jul-23

The federal government will shortly release the full text of its new mandatory code of conduct for the gas industry, which will require gas to be sold at a "reasonable price". Senex Energy and Cooper Energy are amongst the companies that have suspended or delayed gas projects due to concerns about the code, which is being introduced as part of the government’s controversial intervention in the gas industry. The Australian Consumer & Competition Commission recently concluded that the nation should have sufficient gas supplies for the next 18 months.

CORPORATES
SENEX ENERGY LIMITED, COOPER ENERGY LIMITED – ASX COE