Think Tank Pans Climate Minister’s Nuclear Cost Claim, Points to $1.5 Trillion Renewable Alternative

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said a nationwide transition from coal-fired power stations to nuclear will cost $387 billion.

A nuclear plant in Dampierre-en-Burly, center France, along the Loire river. The catastrophic Fukushima nuclear plant incident has triggered a heated national debate in France, putting the future of nuclear energy in question. Alain Jocard/Getty Images

Scott Hargreaves, executive director of the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) in Melbourne, has criticised Energy Minister Chris Bowen over his claims that a nationwide transition to nuclear energy will cost taxpayers $387 billion (US$249 billion).

“The energy minister is not being fair dinkum with Australians about the cost of nuclear and our energy future. It’s about time he was honest with Australians about the cost of the federal government’s flawed renewables plan,” Mr. Hargreaves said in a statement.