Industry Veteran Urges to Look Beyond Nuclear Price Tag
An expert argues that cost shouldn’t overshadow the benefits of nuclear energy for Australia’s future
Australia, Nuclear Energy, Peter Dutton, Barry Green, Giz Watson
Canberra: So, there’s this expert, Barry Green, who’s been in the nuclear game for decades. He’s saying we shouldn’t just focus on the costs and timelines when talking about nuclear power. He thinks it’s time to give Peter Dutton a break on his reactor plans.
Green believes that building a nuclear industry could really boost skills and create new jobs, which would be great for the economy. He shared his thoughts during a parliamentary inquiry, emphasizing that Australia should aim for a flexible and advanced power system for the next 50 to 100 years.
Having worked in the nuclear field in the US and Europe for 40 years, he’s got some solid experience. He’s pushing for changes in laws to lift the ban on nuclear reactors and wants to see more training to improve our nuclear knowledge.
He also thinks Australia should get involved in international nuclear discussions and work on a secure place for nuclear waste, instead of having it scattered around. Plus, he suggests we start enriching uranium to make our exports more valuable.
But not everyone is on board. Conservationist Giz Watson warns that developing a nuclear industry could turn Australia into a dumping ground for nuclear waste. She points out that producing fuel rods creates a lot of radioactive waste that needs to be isolated for thousands of years.
Watson highlights that there’s already a huge amount of high-level nuclear waste globally, and it’s only increasing. She’s concerned that there’s no proper place to store it yet.
On the other hand, some folks, like Tania Constable from the Minerals Council, argue that the ban on nuclear power should be lifted. She believes that if Australian industries are being asked to cut emissions, they should have access to all available technologies, including nuclear.
Constable feels that with rising power bills, Australians deserve to have nuclear power as an option. She’s pretty vocal about how current policies are costing everyone and thinks it’s time for a change.