‘Unproven’ small nuclear reactors would raise Australia’s energy costs and delay renewable uptake, report says

Russia’s ‘Akademik Lomonosov' floating power plant has two small modular reactors but construction costs were six times higher than projected. Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images

The next generation of small nuclear reactors being advocated by the Coalition would raise electricity prices, slow the uptake of renewables and introduce new risks from nuclear waste, according to a report from the Australian Conservation Foundation.

But the report from the conservation group has found only two small modular reactors (SMRs) are known to be operating around the world, in Russia and China, and both have seen large cost blowouts.