Australia could go nuclear before 2030 and bring down power prices with US small reactors. By Adam Creighton.

The US government [has] approved the first small modular nuclear reactor for commercial use.

The business behind the small-scale reactor — Oregon-based NuScale — has told The Australian the reactors could supply about two-thirds of the capacity of the soon-to-close Liddell coal-fired power station and power nearly 70,000 homes as early as 2027. …

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is coming under more pressure to reconsider Labor’s decades old ban on nuclear power.

NuScale chief executive John Hopkins said on Sunday that his small reactors could be based in remote locations with little access to the power grid – including near mines in need of generation — and provide up to 924 megawatts of electricity. …

Nuclear power generated about 10 per cent of the world’s total electricity supply in 2021 (19 per cent in the US, from 55 power plants in 28 states). …

NuScale put a $US3.3bn price on its 924MW “Voygr” in an April presentation. It would provide cheaper electricity per hour than solar once the cost of batteries were included, it estimated.

“The costs of solar do not fully account for bringing power to consumers 24/7, and this is where advanced nuclear technology can come in to support renewables and offer an opportunity for Australia to truly decarbonise,” Mr Hopkins told The Australian.

Faster please.