Australia's energy policy would take a sharp turn if the Coalition wins the upcoming federal election. A Dutton government would seek to build seven nuclear power plants at the sites of old coal-fired power stations.
Australia's Coalition proposes building seven nuclear power plants at old coal sites, utilizing existing infrastructure, but potentially curtailing solar/wind energy and prolonging fossil fuel use, costing A$116-600 billion. Experts suggest pumped hydro storage is a faster, cheaper alternative for storing renewable energy, with potential sites identified near the proposed nuclear locations. Pumped hydro is a mature technology and helps stabilize the grid when solar/wind power generation is low. Australia currently has three operating pumped hydro systems.
