Today’s announcement by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton outlining a nuclear power plan reveals a deep disconnect from the realities of Australia’s energy landscape. Weld Australia, the peak body representing thousands of Australian welders and fabricators, including those supporting coal-fired power stations through its Power Generation Industry Group, has strongly criticised the proposal as impractical and grossly misinformed.
A Fantasy Without Basis in Reality
According to Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, the Opposition’s plan relies on the misguided notion that coal-fired power stations can continue operating reliabily indefinitely to bridge the energy gap. “It is a fantasy to imagine that coal-fired power stations can keep running without billions of dollars being poured into their maintenance. Many of these plants have already exceeded their design life two- or threefold,” said Crittenden.
“The boilers and turbines are on their last legs, with corrosion, material failures, and creep already posing significant challenges. These power stations were designed for around 250,000 hours of operation. Many have clocked over 500,000 hours and are now struggling to remain operational. The suggestion that they can continue running is not just unrealistic—it’s reckless.”
“Boilers and turbines at coal-fired power stations are not designed for infinite operation. Many are already being pushed beyond their intended limits, forced into flexible operations—being switched on and off to accommodate the growing input of renewable energy. These processes impose immense stress on ageing equipment, escalating maintenance costs to unsustainable levels and requiring total rebuilds just to keep them functional,” said Crittenden.
Lack of Workforce and Expertise
The industry also faces a critical shortage of skilled workers to maintain and refurbish coal-fired power stations. “The reality is that the workforce needed to sustain these plants simply doesn’t exist anymore. Many of the skilled workers have retired, and finding people with the expertise to maintain these outdated plants is near impossible,” said Crittenden.
“It’s like expecting a 1924 Model T Ford to barrel down the Autobahn at 120km per hour—it’s just not feasible. The infrastructure is outdated, the workforce is dwindling, and the costs are astronomical,” he said.
Any reliance on speculative technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, raises further concerns. “Nowhere in the world are these technologies working at the scale required. Meanwhile, renewables continue to provide a more cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable solution,” Crittenden noted.
A Clear Path Forward
Weld Australia maintains that the focus must be on accelerating the transition to renewable energy and investing in the workforce and infrastructure needed to achieve this goal. “The cost of keeping these coal-fired power stations operational is so high that it would derail our ability to fund the renewable energy revolution. The government must prioritise solutions that are economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and technologically proven,” said Crittenden.
Weld Australia calls on the Opposition to abandon its nuclear power fantasy and focus on practical, forward-thinking strategies that will deliver energy security and affordability for all Australians.
About us:
ABOUT WELD AUSTRALIA
Weld Australia represents the welding profession in Australia. Its members are made up of individual welding professionals and companies of all sizes. Weld Australia members are involved almost every facet of Australian industry and make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy. The primary goal of Weld Australia is to ensure that the Australian welding industry remains locally and globally competitive, both now and into the future. Weld Australia is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW). For more information or to join Weld Australia, please visit: www.weldaustralia.com.au.
Contact details:
Sally Wood on 0434 442 687 or sally@wordly.com.au
