The Hunter might be well on the way to becoming a global clean energy powerhouse, but that doesn't mean nuclear energy doesn't have its supporters in the region's coal mining heartland.
A Newcastle Herald straw poll of men and women of various ages conducted over several hours in Muswellbrook this week revealed more than a flicker of interest in the potential of nuclear.
Despite the federal government's insistence that nuclear power is neither a practical or economically viable energy source, many believe it is exactly what the Hunter needs.
"Mate, it's the only way to go. The best deposits are here in Australia. Common sense has got to prevail," Railway Hotel owner Greg Smith said."
Despite having reservations about its safety, Clint Girdler said he felt nuclear energy was superior to renewables.
"I like it because it's basically forever but there's a risk of something going sideways, which is what I don't like. If pressed, I'd say go for nuclear power over renewables," he said.
He acknowledged time needed to bring nuclear power online was an issue.
"If they started this 10 years ago we wouldn't be in this position. If we start now we will be a lot further down the track."
Former Liddell Power Station operator Wayne Murphy said nuclear should be a logical part of the energy transition.
"I think it's a great idea," he said.
"The disasters they have have had (overseas) have been caused by things outside of their control. I don't see it as a (safety) threat at all."
Mr Murphy said he was concerned about the impact that new renewable energy infrastructure was having on agricultural land.
"Living up here where farms are getting affected by the cabling and everything else, I think (nuclear) is a much better idea for sure," he said.
Mr Murphy's former employer, AGL, has ruled out introducing nuclear power to its Liddell and Bayswater sites.
Chief executive Damien Nicks said earlier this year that the company was committed to transforming its coal-fired power generation sites into low-emissions industrial energy hubs.
"There is no viable schedule for the regulation or development of nuclear energy in Australia, and the cost, build time and public opinion are all prohibitive," he said.
Updated economic modelling by the CSIRO and Australian Energy Market Operator released this week found the cost of building a large-scale nuclear power plant would be at least $8.5 billion and would likely take beyond 2040 to complete due to infrastructure, security and safety hurdles.
The modelling, contained in the latest edition of the GenCost report found that overall, renewable energy costs would be lowest at $73 to $128 per megawatt hour, while nuclear costs would hit $141 to $233.
Nuclear small modular reactors would cost $230 to $382 per megawatt hour.
But it seems AGL's and CSIRO's opposition to nuclear have done little to deter the federal Coalition that says it has identified six sites in Australia suitable for nuclear power generation.
It says the sites, one of which is in the Upper Hunter, are close to existing coal-fired power plants.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has indicated that those living near a coal or gas plant would be receptive to nuclear energy.
"When you look at the communities where there is a high energy IQ, that is where they've got a coal-fired power station now, people are in favour (of nuclear) because they understand the technology," he told the Today program.
"They understand that it's zero emissions, that it is latest generation, it's the same technology the government signed up to for the nuclear submarines, so it's safe for our sailors."
National Party leader David Littleproud said last month that the Coalition's plan was not dependent on the AGL's participation.
"We don't need to use their (AGL's) land, we can be close to it so we are not tearing up 28,000 kilometres of landscape across the east coast with new transmission lines," he said during a visit to Nelson Bay.
"The investment signals that this government is sending is an all renewables approach. You can't blame them (AGL) for going down that path.
HunterMP Dan Repacholi this week challenged the Coalition to reveal its nuclear plan for the Hunter.
"Peter Dutton and the No-Olition should be honest with the people of the Hunter and identify where risky reactors will be in their community and how they think the most expensive form of energy is meant to lower power prices," he said.
"The Albanese Government's reliable renewables plan is delivering for locals and creating energy and job security for one of Australia's regional industrial powerhouses."
The local MP's comments were echoed by Muswellbrook local Paul Carey, who is opposed to a nuclear power station in the Upper Hunter.
"I'm just not sure they have fixed up all of the problems with it (nuclear). It's also pretty expensive rather than coal," he said.
Mr Carey said he supported the rollout of renewables.
"We have got to move forward," he said.
But other locals believe nuclear power should complement renewables in order to provide grid stability.
"We live in a country that's full of uranium. If they could change the legislation so they could make it usable for nuclear power and find a suitable spot to put the nuclear power plant it would be a great way to make clean baseload power," Muswellbrook resident Daniel Green said.
"We could have clean energy to handle all of the up and down (intermittency) of the power supply."
Mr Green said he supported the rollout of renewable energy and had invested in renewables on his house.
"I think it's a very good strategy, but it's just the baseload power that needs to be worked on.
"Batteries are a good idea but you need a big carbon footprint to make the batteries.
"Nuclear has come a long way since the 1950s and 60s."
Muswellbrook Mayor Steve Reynolds confirmed he was aware of a significant level of support for nuclear power in the shire.
"As the elected leader of my community, that's what I hear all the time," he said.
"If [people] are telling us there's not going to be enough energy in the renewables then maybe it's something we have to look at and make it a position of the council," he said.
"I'm not shocked people support it."
Muswellbrook Chamber of Commerce president Mike Kelly also said the Upper Hunter community had been interested in the potential of nuclear power for "a very long time".
"It's generally understood that it is expensive to build and it takes a long time to build. But when it is in operation it is an emissions free high baseload capacity facility. On that basis it should be considered," he said.
"Whether the Hunter Valley is the right site for it is a matter for the authorities to decide but we have got the infrastructure here and we've got the grid at our doorstep."
