ANALYSIS Federal politics is currently debating the usefulness of nuclear power versus renewables. As usual, the debate is replete with hysteria and rubbery figures designed to evoke high emotion and partisanship over reason and good policy. The debate began when Energy Minster Chris Bowen released figures this week indicating that the Opposition’s proposed shift to Small Nuclear Reactors (SMR) would cost $387bn. Opposition leader, Peter Dutton, countered with the claim that Labor’s renewables rollout will cost $1.5tr if investment in new distribution networks, polls and wires, is included. A war of words has broken out between Climate Change and Energy...