Power bills would rise under Coalition's nuclear plan, says energy think tank
New analysis suggests a typical household’s electricity bill could rise by $665 a year on average under the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan.
A typical Australian household’s electricity bill would rise by an average of $665 a year under the Coalition’s nuclear policy, according to a report from an energy research house.
By comparing the costs of six current nuclear plants in five different countries, the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) found that nuclear-powered electricity would cost 1.5 to 3.8 times more than Australia’s current cost of electricity generation.
Larger households with higher energy use would see an average annual increase of $972 under the policy. The analysis accounted for capital, operating and maintenance costs, but not the additional costs of waste disposal or site rehabilitation.
The Coalition has pledged to roll out seven nuclear reactors across Australia if elected, including two small modular reactors. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has yet to release detailed cost estimates for the plan, which may involve significant government ownership or nationalising former coal-fired power plant sites identified as potential locations for the reactors.
