MiningNews.net + De Crespigny, Morgan in nuclear plant proposal

De Crespigny, Morgan in nuclear plant proposal

ROBERT de Crespigny and Hugh Morgan – two of Australia's most high-profile mining executives – have been linked to a proposed venture to establish Australia's first nuclear power plant.

Hugh Morgan.


Robert Champion de Crespigny
According to a report in the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper, the pair – together with prominent Melbourne businessman Ron Walker – have formed a company called Australian Nuclear Energy to investigate establishing a commercial nuclear plant in South Australia or Victoria.The report said the company was talking to US-based General Electric, the world's largest supplier of nuclear generation equipment.A source reportedly told the newspaper that the group had held discussions with the Federal, South Australian and Victorian governments.However, South Australian Premier Mike Rann said he had not heard of the group and would not consider a proposal to build a plant in his state."If they ever try to see me, they will be shown the door," Rann was quoted as saying.Australia's only nuclear reactor, the Lucas Heights plant in New South Wales, was closed last year after 50 years of operating as an experimental facility.De Crespigny, who currently heads up Australian- and London-listed resources group Scarborough Minerals, was behind Australian gold mining success story Normandy Mining. Morgan, meanwhile, was the long-serving head of WMC.