Senator Kerry Nettle   Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales



Six month reactor shutdown as nuclear delegates arrive in  Australia

4th Nov 07

The admission by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology  Organisation that Australia's only nuclear reactor will remain shutdown for  six months shows the need for a new direction on nuclear power, Greens  Senator Kerry Nettle said today.

The embarrassing revelation comes on the eve of an International Atomic  Energy Agency conference, which starts in Sydney tomorrow and is  focused on research reactors like the Lucas Heights OPAL reactor.

The week long conference, The International Conference on Research  Reactors: Safe Management and Effective Utilization, is being hosted by  Australia and 220 delegates from around the world are expected to

attend.

"The government now has egg on its face as the world's nuclear scientists  gather in Australia," Senator Nettle said.

"Just before Australia hosts a major international conference on research  reactors we learn that Sydney's nuclear reactor will be out of action for at  least six months."

"John Howard called this reactor a 'triumph' but just three months after  his government opened the reactor it has broken down and will now be  off line for at least 6 months."





"There is major gap between the rhetoric and reality of nuclear power in  this country. How can John Howard and ANSTO argue for 25 nuclear  power reactors when they can't even run one small research reactor?"

"There is still no clear answer to the cause of the reactor shutdown and  who will foot the bill."

"The admission that the reactor will remain closed also undermines the  claim that it is necessary for nuclear medicine. ANSTO says it is spending  $90,000 a week to provide nuclear medicine while the reactor is

shutdown. The reactor cost $400 million to build so for the cost of  building a reactor Australia could have had 100 years of medical  isotopes."



"The government should cut its losses, keep the reactor closed and focus  on real solutions to climate change like renewable energy and energy  efficiency."

