The CSIRO pours cold water on the Coalition’s nuclear claims in a new report. Here’s how

GenCost’s conclusion? Solar and wind power, including the additional costs, such as energy storage and transmission lines to integrate them into the grid, remains the cheapest option. Photograph: PomInPerth/Shutterstock

The national science agency has released a report reaffirming the likely high costs of nuclear power in Australia, at the beginning of a week when the Coalition has promised it will finally reveal the cost of its controversial plan to build taxpayer-funded reactors.

The CSIRO’s GenCost report, produced annually in collaboration with the Australian Energy Markey Operator (AEMO), has attracted criticism – some of it extreme – by nuclear advocates who argue reactors would cost much less, and be built much quicker, than the CSIRO says.