The Border Mail - Border �not an N-plant option�: "THE Border is unlikely to be chosen as a site for a nuclear power plant, according to a Canberra-based think tank.
The Australia Institute recently identified Westernport Bay � in which Phillip Island is located � and Port Stephens as likely candidates to accommodate a nuclear power plant in the event Australia decides to become a nuclear-powered nation.
Institute researcher Andrew Macintosh said the criteria included existing transmission lines to feed power into the electricity grid, proximity to large population base, such as Sydney or Melbourne, and rail and port access for the transport of imported nuclear fuel rods.
He said the Border and inland Australia lacked the water to cool a nuclear power station and the Murray River and its storages were already over-allocated.
The power station would need to be on the coast to have access to large volumes of cooling water.
Mr Macintosh said new technology may allow gas to be used to cool a nuclear power plant but it was unlikely this technology would be used in Australia.
While fresh nuclear fuel rods would be imported, spent fuel would need to be stored permanently and in Europe power stations were often required to store the radioactive waste on site.
While some sites in Australia might be suitable for nuclear power the option was still not viable.
�The Prime Minister has asked for the debate but he knows full well that nuclear power is not economical at the moment,� Mr Macintosh said.
�It�s too expensive to run and why not go to gas first?
�The debate is really about energy options. If you want to cut emissions you need to look at a range of options.�
The institute�s executive director Clive Hamilton said it was not clear whether the Government had considered where power plants could be located.
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