Australia is Hicksville when it comes to nuclear energy; happy to mine and sell it to other countries, but stubbornly, stupidly, refusing to use the uranium itself.

Not only is Australia like South Africa used to be - copying, via the race-based Voice, the apartheid that SA managed to get rid of - but heading towards that backward country's power blackouts. South Africans have been without electricity for around 6 hours EVERY DAY so far this year.

We still hear some commentators talking about Australia being a 'great country'; how it is 'like winning a lottery' to be born here.

But such twaddle is now well out of date. Australia and Australianism is getting to be a huge embarrassment.

The halfwits who started the climate hysteria, the deliberate closing of coal powered energy for unreliable sources, have a lot to answer for - as do the slack, disinterested Australian voters.

Looking at NEMWatch just now I see that about 17 GW out of 29 GW demand is being supplied by burning black coal, brown coal and gas. In July power prices are about to go up around 24% in several States. Yet Bowen assured us Australia will be 80% renewable powered by 2030 and electricity prices will reduce.

People should not have to buy batteries and solar panels as it is the government's responsibility to provide grid connection at an affordable price. With 45C summers that includes generous use of aircon. In years ahead we will also have EV charging, desalination, gas appliance replacement and the effects of high immigration. No Mr Bowen wind and solar can't provide all that.

SMRs probably won't be available to Australia until the 2030s. They could be located at former coal stations like Hazelwood and Liddell using the existing transmission lines and cooling facilities. Australia should be able to get a good deal as we have the most uranium (SA's Olympic Dam is the world no. 2 producer) and Australian firms are involved in nuclear plant construction overseas. Start planning for SMRs now... siting, workforce and how to transfer new and used fuel.

Meanwhile why not check out these two references.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2023/05/24/nuclear-fictions
http://www.counterpunch.org/2023/05/24/nuke-powers-renaissance-4-0-has-already-melted

Hear, hear and well said, Graham.

All the nuclear accidents relate to the huge pressure, water cooled reactors, need. And up to 300 atmospheres.

There is, however, a type of reactor the operates at ambient air pressure. And that is the molten salt reactor.

Fluoride salt only boils at 1400C and the sweet spot for power generation is 700C. Which means it never has to boil. And doesn't need an expensive 7 inches thick reactor vessel or huge containment building to contain any possible explosion, i.e., Hydrogen explosion. (Chernobyl)

Moreover, MSRs can use nuclear waste as fuel an fuel we are paid to take, burning as much as 90% of it leaving as little as 5% and with a reduced half-life of 3-500 years.

This is not new science but science we've had for more than half a century. And cannot explode or boil! And so safe one can start it and walk away leaving it percolating for (walk away safe) months or years.

Yes, there were a couple of bugs, corrosion and tritium, in this technology, that have since been ironed out. There are numerous upsides, one being power provision for less than 3 cents PKWH.

And where thorium is used as the preferred fuel, the production of the miracle cancer cure, the alpha particle, bismuth 213. And the final waste for less toxic and eminently suitable as long-life space batteries.

Play any which way and there are no real downsides, and we deal with climate change very effectively without tanking the economy, but rather the very opposite, big time!

We can even use nuclear technology to make all manner of VERY AFFORDABLE alternative and endlessly sustainable, hydrocarbon liquid fuels from inexhaustible seawater!
Alan B.

Thank you Graham Young for this superb summary of the current situation in Australia. As you say banning nuclear "defies logic". Comments so far back up this view and AlanB adds very relevant new information.
The question that bothers me is 'Why is logical deduction based on verifiable scientific information not accepted by Government or electors. Nuclear technology does not depend on ideological beliefs. Rational behaviour should be the anticipated and expected norm in our well educated society. The same problems of irrationality and emotionalism are evident in most other big questions facing society and government. I suspect it will take a major crisis (national or international) before the Australian people and especially its Federal Government are forced to come to their senses. As matters stand, it seems to me that witch-doctor Albo and his acolytes are getting ready pass around the cool-aid on a national scale.