Thread by @OskaArcher

If you have any interest in#nuclear energy in Australia you've likely heard this capital cost figure cited to prove it'll be too expensive. <thread> 1/7

https://twitter.com/OskaArcher/status/1167405424368242688

For example, no one will be surprised to see RenewEconomy leaning heavily on this $16,000/kW number reneweconomy.com.au/nuclear-inquir… 2/7

So which nuclear plant costs $16,000 per kW?
We don't know.
AEMO uses a database called GenCost, from CSIRO csiro.au/~/media/News-r…. CSIRO chose to use cost numbers calculated by GHD ghd.com/Modules/News/s… for AEMO. See Page 89 of aemo.com.au/-/media/Files/…. 3/7

GHD seems to say the $16,000 is from @WorldNuclear. But it isn't, that's just % cost components. The capital cost simply appears on the page without explanation.
There are other serious issues here but the cost number is being brandished most aggressively. 4/7

And this is what it's being brandished against. Costs suggested by the vendors themselves of $6,140, $7,500 & $5,000 per kW. AUD. I've personally seen suggestions of even lower. afr.com/companies/ener… 5/7

Without locking such numbers in, we can still compare:
· Solar thermal + storage theleadsouthaustralia.com.au/industries/res… $4,815/kW
· Geothermal arena.gov.au/assets/2014/07… $10,754/kW
These are higher than PV solar & wind. But not banned. 6/7

If vendors can't actually deliver for what they quote, SMRs likely won't get built (rather like solar thermal & geothermal). Anti-nuclear campaigners would get all the vindication they ever wanted. But we & they will never know until the ban is lifted.

https://twitter.com/dayne_eckermann/status/1166900882362880000

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