The Nationals will support a bill to allow nuclear power in NSW, while separately the Far South Coast has been flagged as a possible location for a nuclear power plant.
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When speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirmed The Nationals would support a bill proposed by One Nation on the matter, and said the state would not achieve its 2050 net zero emissions target without nuclear energy.
"While we exclude certain technologies when it comes to the energy mix for the future, I think we're making it very hard for ourselves," he told Sky News.
Mr Barilaro has been vocal about the nuclear power issue for years, last year saying it was "guaranteed baseload energy with zero emissions, no fossil fuels and probably the cheapest cost to the average Australian household".
In a study by Nuclear for Climate Australia published on its website, the area between Bermagui and Merimbula is among 18 proposed areas of interest in NSW for a nuclear power station.
Under its proposal it states the South Coast has potential if included with other power plants that could be built at East Gippsland, the Snowy Mountains or Jervis Bay.
While it states the coast has many sites with "good access to once-through sea water cooling" - running a large amount of water through a power plant's condensers then discharging it into a waterway with only a small amount of evaporation - an extensive grid upgrade would be required for a 2.2GW plant.
"Nuclear is the most expensive form of power and its waste is a disaster for the environment," he said.
"Regional and coastal communities now face the grim prospect of becoming a nuclear power plant wasteland, as a result of Mr Barilaro leading this government by the nose."
Shadow Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park said coastal communities would never embrace nuclear energy.
"This has clearly divided the Liberal-National Government," he said.
"[Member for South Coast] Shelley Hancock has already said she would not support nuclear plants on the South Coast."
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He said Member for Bega Andrew Constance should do the same. Mr Constance has been approached for comment.
One Nation's Mark Latham introduced the bill to lift the ban on nuclear power and uranium mining in NSW, saying it would "create jobs, investment" and "undertake the long-term planning needed to keep the lights on".