Coalition’s Nuclear Energy Plan Faces Cost, Timeline, and Feasibility Challenges

The opposition’s proposal to build seven nuclear reactors by the mid-2030s is criticized for optimistic assumptions, unresolved regulatory hurdles, and potential economic risks.

The Coalition's nuclear energy plan, costed at $331 billion by Frontier Economics, assumes a slower adoption of renewables and spreads costs over 50 years, raising questions about its accuracy.
Energy experts highlight that the plan relies on keeping coal plants operational longer, which could increase emissions and delay Australia’s climate targets for 2030 and 2050.
The proposed timeline for the first reactor by 2036 is considered highly optimistic due to Australia’s lack of nuclear regulatory frameworks and current legal prohibitions on nuclear energy.
Critics argue the plan could lead to higher electricity bills and reduced investment in renewables, with analysts emphasizing renewables as a faster and cheaper alternative.
The opposition’s costings have been challenged for underestimating infrastructure needs and overlooking the high initial costs of nuclear power development in Australia.