Proposed nuclear power plants in Queensland could not access enough water to prevent a meltdown, research finds

A nuclear power plant in Dampierre-en-Burly, France. Proposed nuclear power plants in Queensland could strain capacity on drinking water and irrigation supplies even under normal operations, an analysis has found. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters

Proposed nuclear power plants in Queensland would not have access to enough water to stop a nuclear meltdown and could strain capacity on drinking water and irrigation supplies even under normal operations, research has found.

Analysis by the Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) has found that one of the two nuclear reactors proposed for the sunshine state under the energy plan that the Coalition will take to the upcoming federal election would require double the water currently used by the existing Callide coal-fired power station. The other, Tarong, would use 55% more water than its existing coal station.