In the last 40 years nuclear energy has taken its place as a major source of
electricity worldwide. It now produces 17 per cent of the world's
electricity and could conceivably produce a higher proportion, to displace
some six billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Concerns
about global warming and environmental quality now underline the
virtues of nuclear electricity among alternative sources of energy. Global electricity demand is rapidly increasing as a proportion of total
energy usage. The proportion has doubled since 1960 and the demand is
expected to increase at least 75 per cent between now and 2020. The
source of this extra capacity, and the replacement of present capacity,
raise questions with major resource and environmental implications. Today nuclear energy is a mature technology. Over 1200 nuclear
reactors have been built and operated, some of these have been
decommissioned, and among the 440 reactors in commercial operation
the first advanced reactors are now entering service. Some 8000
reactor-years of operation have, with the sole exception of Chernobyl,
shown nuclear energy to be extremely safe and reliable. High-level
wastes are being managed properly and in different parts of the world two
strategies are applied to this. Australia has a major role as a long-term supplier of uranium, since it
holds almost 30 per cent of the world's reserves. This, along with an
impending sellers' market for uranium, is making it an opportune time to
develop new mines here. However, after several decades of concern about
civil nuclear energy contributing to the arms race, we now have uranium
liberated from nuclear weapons stockpiles being diluted for use in civil
reactors, which will supplement ex-mine supply. The public acceptability of nuclear energy remains the critical factor in
its future and hence in ours.