South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission

The World Nuclear Association supports the Tentative Findings of the South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission that: “South Australia can safely increase its participation in nuclear activities and, by doing so, significantly improve the economic welfare of the South Australian community.” This marks a profound shift in position for the state – and for a country in which the construction of most civil nuclear facilities is currently prevented by law.

The commission’s findings explicitly recognise the greenhouse-gas reducing potential of nuclear energy and note that it “is not a simple choice between nuclear or renewables. A combination of technologies and approaches is likely to be required”.

Agneta Rising, Director General of the World Nuclear Association remarked: “We believe that nuclear energy should be part of a future Australian energy mix embracing all low carbon options. The Commission’s findings make the case for future policy and market changes that will eventually permit nuclear plants to be built in the country. We encourage policy-makers to start implementing the changes that will allow this to occur.”

Perhaps most interestingly, the Commission has opened up the possibility of constructing a multi-national nuclear waste facility, outlining the huge economic benefits this would bring to the state of South Australia.

Rising noted: "The existence of a mutli-national waste facility based in South Australia would grant a welcome option for many countries operating nuclear facilities today. Far from it being the case that there is ‘no solution’ to nuclear waste, we are now seeing multiple viable alternatives."

 

 

 

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For background information on the South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission see http://www.neimagazine.com/opinion/opinioncommissioning-nuclear-in-australia-a-call-to-action-4594192/ . The World Nuclear Association’s submission to the Commission can be found here http://www.world-nuclear.org/press/briefings/world-nuclear-association-makes-submissions-to-sou.aspx