Energy secretary backs nuclear, attacks net zero

Original article by Colin Packham
The Australian – Page: 4 : 19-Feb-25

The Coalition’s plan to build seven nuclear power stations if it wins the upcoming federal election has received tacit support from the US Energy Secretary, Chris Wright. He has told the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London that he would love to see Australia embrace uranium, but he says the federal government will need to shrug off its ideological opposition to the energy source. Wright adds that the net zero emissions target of 2050 is a "sinister goal" that has had tremendous costs and no benefits.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. DEPT OF ENERGY

Miners claim uranium ban negligent, nonsense policy

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

Miners claim uranium ban negligent, nonsense policy

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

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.

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

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

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

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 too expensive: Forrest

Original article by Colin Packham
The Weekend Australian – Page: 29 : 18-May-24

Fortescue’s executive chairman Andrew Forrest says that while he is not ideologically opposed to nuclear power, using it in Australia does not "stack up" economically. Forrest contends that large-scale wind and solar projects, together with storage batteries and ‘green’ hydrogen are the best, fastest and cheapest forms of energy that will reduce power bills in Australia. He adds that politicians who advocate adding nuclear to the nation’s energy mix are merely dividing the country in order to get elected. Meanwhile, a report from consulting firm Egis has concluded that nuclear power would be six times more expensive than renewables in Australia.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE LIMITED – ASX FMG, EGIS CONSULTING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Nuclear too expensive: Forrest

Original article by Colin Packham
The Weekend Australian – Page: 29 : 18-May-24

Fortescue’s executive chairman Andrew Forrest says that while he is not ideologically opposed to nuclear power, using it in Australia does not "stack up" economically. Forrest contends that large-scale wind and solar projects, together with storage batteries and ‘green’ hydrogen are the best, fastest and cheapest forms of energy that will reduce power bills in Australia. He adds that politicians who advocate adding nuclear to the nation’s energy mix are merely dividing the country in order to get elected. Meanwhile, a report from consulting firm Egis has concluded that nuclear power would be six times more expensive than renewables in Australia.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE LIMITED – ASX FMG, EGIS CONSULTING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Nuclear energy must be part of the conversation

Original article by Cameron England
The Australian – Page: 17 : 28-Oct-22

BHP’s chief technical officer Laura Tyler has told a business forum that Australia needs to consider adding nuclear power to the nation’s energy mix. She has highlighted the potential for nuclear energy to provide baseload power, but acknowledged that Australia is still "having the conversation" about nuclear at a political level. Meanwhile, Zen Energy chairman Raymond Spencer cautioned against government over-intervention in energy markets, in the wake of the Victorian government’s plans to directly invest in renewable energy.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ZEN ENERGY PTY LTD

Dutton presses button on the nuclear debate

Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 5 : 3-Aug-22

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the energy crisis has demonstrated the need for more dispatchable power in the electricity grid. He adds that the nation must have an honest and informed debate on the benefits and costs of nuclear energy. Dutton has advised that the Coalition will hold an internal party review on the issue of nuclear energy; he says it is mature, proven technology that can provide reliable, emissions-free, base-load electricity. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable has welcomed the Coalition’s commitment to looking at the option of nuclear energy, but Energy Minister Chris Bowen contends that more renewable energy is the solution to rising power prices.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER