MCA calls for nuclear energy in Australia

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has urged the Australian government to consider nuclear energy in the nation’s future.

Speaking at the Paydirt South Australian Resources and Energy Investment conference, MCA’s executive director for uranium, Daniel Zavattiero, said that Australia’s uranium exports in 2016 equated to 103% of the country’s electricity production, establishing a firm platform for a "bigger conversation" around the option of nuclear energy.

“There remains strong potential for nuclear energy in Australia’s power mix. We have a well-established Australian uranium industry and we have a platform for a bigger conversation around harnessing this baseload energy opportunity,” Zavattiero said.

“Critically, Australian uranium remains an important component of Australia’s energy exports and is of strategic importance to our major trading partners,” he said.

“The industry’s safety and environmental performance is strong.”

On Australia’s uranium potential, Zavattiero said the country could readily expand the worth and employment numbers if it positions itself to obtain a higher share of global production, consistent with its higher share of global uranium resources, as the nuclear industry expands over coming decades, particularly in the Asian region.

“In a world where nuclear power grows to 16.6% share of global electricity capacity and Australian uranium grows to 30% of global production, Australian uranium would be fuelling approximately 5% of global electricity capacity with near zero carbon emissions,” he said.

“To realise its potential market share, therefore, Australia needs to become known as a high-quality reliable producer with a stable, efficient, science-based regulatory environment.”