Australian Political Opposition To Nuclear Power Is Expected To Change In Few Years, Says Switkowski

Published: 22-Jul-2009

By: Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

Ziggy Switkowski, chairman of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, said that current Australian political opposition to nuclear power is expected to change in few years, as it is the only option to counter climate change, reported Bloomberg. Switkowski said that Australians are now beginning to realize that nuclear power is needed to reduce reliance on burning coal and oil.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Labor government, which opposes building nuclear reactors, has a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2000 levels by 2050. Rio Tinto Group has urged the government to consider nuclear power because the viability of energy alternatives has been overstated.

The government has had a “head in the sand approach” to using nuclear energyEdward Rigg, chief executive officer of Perth-based investment house Argonaut Ltd., told the conference in Perth. “Nuclear energy, in our view, is the only way in which the world can meet its energy shortage going forward and is the only viable method to address climate change.”

In a submission on energy policy, Rio said overly optimistic assumptions on wind and geothermal power and “clean coal” technologies have created false optimism, the Australian reported. Rio controls Energy Resources Australia Ltd., producer of about 10% of the world’s mined uranium.

Australia ‘Blessed’

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong repeated the opposition of the government to nuclear power. Rudd’s administration has a target of ensuring 20% of Australia’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020.

“We have a very clear view that Australia is blessed with conventional energy resources, as well as renewable energy resources and our focus as a nation should be on developing those technologies in renewable energy,” Wong told reporters in Canberra. “That’s why we have got our renewable energy target, to drive investment in the technologies that increasingly the world will need.”

Switkowski in 2006 headed a government-ordered inquiry into the viability of nuclear power in Australia, which found that the first reactor could start up within 15 years and that 25 may be built by 2050, producing 30% of the nation’s electricity.

“The Australian position in not allowing nuclear power in the mix seems to be a bit illogical,” he said today. “More Australians support nuclear power than oppose it, and that’s in the absence of any strong lead from the government.” Switkowski said he expects Australia to have a nuclear power station within 15 years, probably built alongside an existing coal-fired plant.

Uranium Reserves

Western Australia has as much as 10% of the world’s known uranium reserves, worth about A$40 billion ($33 billion), according to an estimate from the federal government.

Uranium demand may rise as the number of nuclear power reactors potentially increases 30% by 2020, driven by India and China, the World Nuclear Association estimates. Uranium producers are betting demand for the metal needed for nuclear fuel will rise as countries seek cleaner-burning alternatives to coal and oil amid pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Australia has scope to expand exports of the nuclear fuel and liquefied natural gas to South Korea and gain from demand for cleaner energy, Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said April 6.

Australia’s ruling Labor Party dropped its 27-year-old ban on new uranium mines in 2007, while leaving state governments with the power to reject mining proposals. Western Australia state scrapped a six-year ban on uranium mining in 2008. The country is the world’s third-largest uranium producer, according to estimates from the World Nuclear Association.

Opposition to uranium mining and nuclear power was underscored outside today’s conference venue by about 50 protesters, who daubed the pavement with slogans saying “no mines” and “this cake tastes awful,” a reference to yellowcake, a form of concentrated uranium.

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