Do you live near a power plant?

AAP Newswire
Tuesday 21/11/2006

CANBERRA, Nov 21 AAP - Do you live near a power plant? Are you close to a reliable water supply, and a town or city? Then your community could be one of 25 or so along the east coast of Australia tipped to have its own nuclear power plant within the next 50 years.

John Howard's prime ministerial taskforce, headed by former Telstra head Ziggy Switkowski, says nuclear power should play a significant part in Australia's future energy needs.

They know that many people are wary about nuclear meltdowns, radiation leaks, nuclear dumps and three-eyed fish. But they say a nuclear power plant is safer than a conventional coal or gas fired plant, and can help to cut greenhouse emissions.

Its the finding Mr Howard wanted when he set up the taskforce, stacking it with nuclear experts and excluding renewable energies like solar and wind power from its scope.

But how difficult will it be to sell the idea of a nuclear power plant within kilometres of suburban homes to voters ahead of next year's election? Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says Mr Howard must spell out where the nuclear plants will go. "Australians are quite wise in these areas. They understand that nuclear reactors have to be near cities and have to be near water," Mr Beazley said.

"So, there are plenty of communities that can identify themselves as potential sites. And what John Howard owes to those communities is a clear-cut statement as to whether they're in or out as far as nuclear reactors are concerned." But Mr Howard says its not the government's responsibility - or choice. "Obviously the question of the location of any power stations will follow commercial decisions," he said.

The government won't be nominating where nuclear power stations might go if we decide to have them, but obviously like any other investment you'll need to have a commercial driver for a nuclear power plant or station to be built. But we are a considerable time away from that." At least a year, many suspect - after the election.