Business urges renewed nuclear debate
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Renewed nuclear debate urged as part of addressing climate change (user submitted: Peter Driussi)
South Australia's business lobby is warning against Australia going it alone on a carbon trading scheme in 2010.
It has taken a swipe at the SA Government over nuclear power, which it says must be considered as part of the solution on climate change.
Business SA chief Peter Vaughan seems unconvinced by the Federal Government's climate change adviser Professor Ross Garnaut.
"We are in grave risk of being the canary in the coalmine," he said.
An emissions trading scheme will mean extra costs for businesses, especially in the energy-intensive mining and manufacturing sectors.
Mr Vaughan says he is keen to put the issue of nuclear power back on the table.
"Uranium mining in this state is the 600lb gorilla in the room that nobody wants to speak about," he said.
Mr Vaughan says it is ironic that SA Premier Mike Rann is in China this week spruiking the benefits of the state providing uranium for Chinese reactors.
But the Government maintains the economics of nuclear power back home fail to stack up.
Price hike
The Government will admit that a cut in greenhouse gas emissions will mean significant price rises for customers.
SA Energy Minister Pat Conlon says rising prices can help curb demand.
"People do act out of self-interest more reliably than out of any other motivation and they are going to get a price signal," he said.
SA's electricity distributor says that price increase will be coupled with an increase in demand at peak periods, because a hotter climate boosts airconditioning use.
ETSA Utilities chief executive Lew Owens says the issue cannot be ignored.
"If all of the predictions about climate change are true then this is going to be an increasing problem and one we need to address now," he said.
ETSA is expanding a trial of a device which cuts power to a household's airconditioner during times of peak demand.
It will be operating in 1,500 homes at Mawson Lakes and Glenelg in Adelaide, as well as at Murray Bridge this summer.
