Australia’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission on Monday will release its final report analyzing a nuclear waste plan that a lawmaker claims would deliver billions of dollars in revenue to South Australia over the course of 30 years.
South Australia Sen. Sean Edwards’ plan would allow the state to tap into Asia’s market for nuclear fuel disposal services and take ownership of about 60,000 tons of waste. He claims there’s a way to completely recycle the material and generate zero-carbon electricity. Edwards’ initial estimate shows the plan delivering a net present value of at least AUS $28 billion to the state. Canberra think thank the Australia Institute has dismissed the plan as “an impossible dream,” one that fails to recognize the global competition the project would draw, among other claims.
The commission delivered a glowing report of the plan in its interim report in February, estimating it could mean AUS $5 billion in annual state revenue over the first 30 years and $2 billion annually after that. The commission announced that it had submitted the final report Friday to Gov. Hieu Van Le AO, and it will be released publicly Monday.
