From your alternative PM:
Cheaper power prices would be offered for residents and businesses in coal communities to switch from retiring coal-fired generators to nuclear power if the Coalition wins government.
Peter Dutton has pledged that if elected, the Coalition could deliver the first small modular reactors into the grid by the mid-2030s, with British manufacturer Rolls-Royce understood to be able to deliver them at an estimated $3.5bn to $5bn each.
Economic impact statements will also be conducted on at least seven communities identified by a shadow cabinet subcommittee established by the Opposition Leader to develop the Coalition’s energy security policy.
To be clear, RR has not yet completed its own design project for SMRs or produced a working prototype.
But, if we want to take this punt on our energy grid, then Dutton’s YIMBY subsidy will obviously be recouped via higher nuclear energy bills for the majority.
Nuclear is already more expensive than anything else, and you can add your YIMBY surcharge to that:
This is policy gimmickry, and not even very good on those terms.
All we need to do is reserve 10% of gas exports and convert coal plants to gas peakers and batteries.
The current gas price cap needs to be lowered to $7Gj as well. The local price was still trading above export net-back last week:
Cheap, clean, done.
