Valuing ARU, page-42

While I have no issue with Nuclear, and we are to Uranium that Saudi is to oil, I don't believe this energy type works in the Australian power network. We already have so much renewable energy in the system, in particular roof top solar, that we have created the 'duck curve'. Meaning that power prices drop significant during the day (on sunny days), and the new peak is 4-10pm at night.

Full disclosure, I work for a power company and have discussed this with the energy trading team and the renewables development teams. Any power type now, and in the future (because renewables keeps growing, especially home solar), needs to be able to turn it's self off quickly, otherwise it gets hit with negative tariffs and that destroys it's commercial model on days with high supply and low demand. So grids with high renewables, and Australia compared to the rest of the world is very much that, need energy supply that is complementary. That is energy sources that can react quick when sun doesn't shine or winds drop. That is typically gas peaking plants, and also now growing in importance Large Scale Batteries. The fact that Dutton doesn't seem to know this makes me think he hasn't talked to anyone in the power networks, or more than likely, this is about political differentiation in the moment compared to what he actually thinks will be built (or not built in the future),

Nuclear is similar to coal plant in regard to response, its a flat constant load. That's fine for someone like France as they don't have a lot of renewables, but we already have enough that makes constant loads problematic, and increasingly so. Our coal fired power stations that are old and have already regained their sunk costs can commercially survive this for now mostly, but not a very expensive new nuclear plant. FID will never be achieved with any private entity.