The Environmental, Economic, and Social Performance of Nuclear Technology in Australia

Abstract

The prominence of climate change is surging with Australia feeling the impacts of hotter and dryer climates. With 2030 approaching, Australia's promise to reduce emissions is seeming harder to achieve with their energy mix being dominated by fossil fuels. The development of small modular reactor (SMR) technology in the nuclear industry offers a possible solution for Australia to shift away from coal and gas energy sources and invest in low carbon nuclear technologies. SMR technology is suitable for the Australian context due to the number of remote locations, the size of the mining, and processing industries and the minimal nuclear experience Australia has. This study aimed to quantify the environmental benefits of Australia incorporating nuclear power in their energy mix and to calculate the levelized cost of electricity of constructing a 684 MWel nuclear plant using the NuScale module. Additionally, a survey was created to provide an insight into the Australian perception of energy generation and nuclear power. The responses showed the Australian attitudes toward nuclear power and the misconceptions that are resulting in negative perceptions and attitudes.