Well said, Indy.
Alan B.

A great summary of the failure of renewables and the hack job on nuclear by Graham. The CSIRO Gencost report does not include estimates for conventional nuclear power on the basis that larger reactors would be too disruptive to the grid during planned shut downs. The dismissal is almost comical as the report is supportive of intermittent energy sources which by their nature are randomly shut down 70-80% of the time. Unsurprisingly, the report does not consider the disruption this might cause to be at all problematic.

Australia needs to remove the nuclear ban and introduce long term supply contracts as per Western Australia. The disastrous consequences of pursuing intermittent generation are now clear but are being ignored because of ideological zealotry.

In all the discussion about cost of nuclear why is it that none of
those making the most noise ever think of "Calling for Tenders" ?

I think you would have about five companies on your doorstep next morning.

BTW Graham in deciding how much renewable generation is needed you
did not seem to allow capacity to recharge the batteries on the grid.
The batteries would most likely be discharged at night and next
morning the solar gets going around 9am in summer and the grid is
already very busy. Basically a full days capacity is needed.

BIG REACTORS BETTER GIVEN ALL THE GREEN-BROWN POLITICAL OPPOSITION THEY'RE GOING TO COP

Yes, certainly France's nuclear electricity success story is based on building LARGE [1] and MARKET PROVEN reactor designs rather than not yet market proven small designs.

Logic being: if Australian reactor projects are going to be held up for 20 years (minimum) by Green/"Browned Off" (meaning Indigenous) inspired inquiries (and then environmental Bambi + rare little birdy Court Cases)

- it is better you start building a 3 GW reactor complex in the Hunter region - than a piddly modular 300 MW reactor (reliant on a marginal business case) in Wagga Wagga.

[1] French Reactors Now: Checkout the huge size of most French reactors - many over 3 GW http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_France#Nuclear

[2] Future French Reactors: See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_France#Developments_2011-2022

"In February 2022 president Macron added that the plan includes construction of 14 new large nuclear reactors and extension of life of existing reactors deemed safe and suitable beyond 50 years."

Mavs

That is true Bazz, and I'd bet that Clive Palmer would be one of them. But to enable this government would have to award long term supply contracts (years). The current system will ensure that the power supply becomes more expensive, discontinuous and dysfunctional. Paying intermittent suppliers for power that isn't needed or for power not supplied is insane and not in the interest of consumers.

I reckon the value of Australia going nuclear electricity is (as in France) an excellent way to economise a Dual-Use Nuclear energy and WEAPONS industry.

We need Australian nuclear weapons to divest ourselves of involvement in America's imperial wars.

If it was nuclear energy alone think Turnbull's spurious claims about Snowy 2.0 then triple the deadline and triple budget blow-outs to build reactors.

Checkout http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/07/the-coalition-wants-nuclear-power-could-it-work-or-would-it-be-an-economic-and-logistical-disaster

"...The Coalition is understood to be looking at both conventional large-scale nuclear reactors and small modular reactors (SMR) which are not expected to be available commercially until the early 2030s, or potentially later"

"...In the UK, French company EDF’s 3,200MW Hinkley Point C plant began construction in 2017 and, after several revisions, the company says it may not be delivering electricity until 2031. Initial cost estimates of £18bn (A$34bn) have been revised as high as £46bn (A$89bn)."

"John Quiggin, a professor of economics at the University of Queensland...says one of the only countries to have recently started a nuclear industry is the United Arab Emirates that drew up its first nuclear policy in 2008, commissioning South Korean company Kepco to build four 1,400MW units...these four reactors will likely have cost the UAE as much as $100bn – enough money to put a large solar system on the roof of every Australian house."