Nuclear power `a must'

Courier Mail
Friday 14/11/2008 Page: 26

AUSTRALIA has no choice but to consider nuclear energy in its future energy mix, leading nuclear industry advocate Ziggy Switkowski says. Even with development of renewable energy and the rollout of carbon capture technology, nuclear energy had to be included if Australia was to meet its carbon reduction targets, he said. Dr Switkowski, the chairman of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, yesterday presented the 34th annual Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture.

"I am concerned that the exclusion of nuclear energy from our national conversation and energy debate represents a triumph of political pragmatism over good policy," he said. "When it comes to the generation of base-load electricity - the 80 per cent of electricity that must be available round the clock to power our refrigerators, washing machines, plasma TVs, traffic lights, air conditioners - the options in front of us include the use of coal, gas, oil, hydro-electricity and nuclear energy.

"If fossil fuels are excluded because they are dirty and the risks to hydro-electricity from water scarcity are considered, the only presently available clean option for base-load electricity is nuclear energy." Dr Switkowski said significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions would be beyond the capability of existing technologies, while renewable energy platforms would fail to deliver the cuts in the time allowed.