Nuclear Energy and Australia

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Nuclear Energy and Australia

• Presentation by Prof Jim Falk, Australian Centre
  for Science, Innovation and Society

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History

• 1950s-1964 Nuclear weapons tests in Australia.
  Uranium supplied to British and American nuclear
  weapons programs, until the uranium price
  collapsed and mines closed.
• Late 60s Growth of global nuclear power
  industry led to search for and discovery of new
  deposits.
• 1980s Low prices and community opposition led to
  a ban on new mines. Considerable concern about
  nuclear proliferation issues
• 1996 Liberal-National Coalition government
  elected and uranium mining expansion more
  strongly supported.

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Mines

• Australia currently has 3 commercial uranium
  mines, and a 4th planned for 2008

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Australia has 1/3 of worlds U

• Australia has an estimated 1,950,000 tonnes of
  U3O8, which is roughly one third of the worlds
  uranium resources.
• This includes 38 of the worlds low-cost
  uranium

ltUS40/kg ltUS80/kg ltUS130/kg
World 3239 4486 5593
Australia 1231 1266 1348
Australian share 38 28 24
Total identified resources (000 tonnes U3O8)
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Production and export of uranium
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2005 uranium exports
20
36
11
9
22
(other EU)
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India China
In April 2006, Australia agreed to sell uranium
to China, under conditions, which the Australian
Government says will prevent it from using the
uranium for weapons.

• Australia has been considering selling uranium to
  India, but this is currently looking unlikely,
  because it is not a member of the
  Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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The future?
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• However...
• All states known to have uranium have bans on
  either all uranium mining or on new mines
• 66 of Australians are opposed to the
  establishment of new uranium mines in Australia
  and 22 are in favour (May 2006 poll)

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Nuclear power in Australia

• Australia has never had nuclear power, but
  Government initiated consideration of it in 2006.
• Initiated Zwitkowski taskforce which concluded
  that it sees nuclear power as a practical option
  for part of Australias electricity production -
  see also http//energyscience.org.au

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Switkowski projection

• The taskforce suggested meeting up to 80 of
  Australias electricity requirements with nuclear
  power, by building up to 25 1GW reactors to come
  on line over 2026- 2050 addressing Australias
  growing demand for electricity

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It argued that it would also cut GHG emissions
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Nuclear power remains politically unpopular
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Would require subsidy or carbon tax

• Zwitkowski Nuclear power 20-50 more expensive
  than current coal
• This is probably a considerable underestimate
  (interest rates, etc)
• recent Victorian Department of Infrastructure
  report found that coal-fired power stations
  produce power for 35 per MWh, while nuclear
  power would cost between 60-80 per MWh.

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Choosing a location for a reactor is a political
minefield
Would you support a reactor in your local area?
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HLN Waste Disposal

• Strong public opposition to any repository
• Pangea (BFNL, Swiss, Canada) abandonned plan for
  international reporistory (15 m invested since
  1998) - continues as ARIUS
• Current controversy over small repository for
  ANSTO ILNW intended for Northern Territory

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Spent fuel processing

• Not currently contemplated for Australia.
• Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation
  Office Nuclear fuel leasing does not address
  the real proliferation risk. Actual cases (Iraq,
  North Korea, Libya, Iran) show the danger lies,
  not with diversion of declared materials from
  safeguarded facilities, but with clandestine
  nuclear facilities and undeclared materials
• Zwitkowski taskforce reprocessing of spent fuel
  in Australia seems unlikely to be commercially
  attractive, unless the value of recovered nuclear
  fuel increases significantly

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Nuclear fuel leasing

• Potentially has support from the current federal
  government, but significant opposition from the
  public. Nuclear Fuel Leasing Group (headed by
  John White Chair of UIF, established by Minister
  Ian Macfarlaine in 2005)
• On September 16 2007 Australia signed on to the
  Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). The
  agreement explicitly excused Australia from
  responsibility to take others nuclear waste.

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Enrichment

• Silex. Possibility of U enrichment, but requires
  market opening and acceptance.
• Could be seen to undermine GNEP goals (but
  permitted under Australias GNEP agreement.
• The Zwitkowski taskforce concluded that uranium
  conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication could
  add AUS1.8 billion to the annual value of the
  nuclear industry in Australia. However high
  commercial and technology barriers could make
  market entry difficult and there may be little
  real opportunity for Australian companies to
  extend profitably into these areas.

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Australias uranium exports likely to expand.
Other nuclear fuel cycle expansion possible.
Nuclear reactors possible - regulational
preparation, etc, if government
re-electedNuclear reactors ruled out if ALP
elected
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Future depends on extent to which

• climate change increases public acceptance
• renewable energy technologies developed and
  successfully demonstrated
• regional and world demand for nuclear fuel cycle
  capabilities
• solutions to economic, safety, proliferation and
  waste disposal issues in the nuclear fuel cycle

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