Almost two-thirds of Australians believe nuclear power should be part of the nation’s energy future, according to new YouGov research.
Commissioned by Nuclear for Australia, the poll reveals 63% of Australians believe nuclear power should be considered, while 60% believe it will form part of Australia’s future energy mix.
These findings come as electricity demand and costs continue to spike, driven by AI, data centres, and electrification. At the same time, the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are contributing to uncertainty in global energy markets.
Nuclear for Australia Founder Will Shackel says the survey of 1,550 eligible voters revealed that more than half lacked confidence in Australia’s existing energy options to meet future demand.
“In an increasingly uncertain world, energy sovereignty matters more than ever,” Shackel says.
“Australia needs an affordable, reliable, and clean energy grid to support its economy and attract investment in AI and data centres.
“Nuclear energy is not about choosing between nuclear and renewables. It’s about making sure Australia has the energy mix it needs for the future. Nuclear is the only carbon-free baseload option to support renewables.”
A need for energy
Australia’s power use is continuing to climb as renewables hit record highs, meeting up to 80% of demand on the national grid.
Nuclear energy generates electricity through nuclear fission. Uranium atoms are split inside a reactor to produce intense heat. This heat turns water into steam, driving turbines attached to electrical generators without burning fossil fuels.
Australia currently has no domestic nuclear power plants, hosting only one operating research reactor in New South Wales.
While the nation holds a large share of global uranium reserves, domestic civil nuclear power is federally and state-regulated with bans in place across several jurisdictions.
However, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania permit uranium mining and exploration.
Global uranium demand for nuclear power is more than 68,900 tonnes per year. This figure is expected to surge to more than 150,000 tonnes annually by 2040, as reactor capacity expands for clean energy and AI data centres.
Companies exploring for uranium in Australia include Orpheus Uranium (ASX:ORP) in SA, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia, as well as Lincoln Minerals (ASX:LML) in SA’s Eyre Peninsula.
Uranium in South Australia
South Australia is the nation’s sole uranium-producing jurisdiction, hosting 23% of the global and 89% of Australia’s economic uranium resources.
Mining giant BHP Group’s (ASX:BHP) Olympic Dam mine hosts the world’s largest single deposit of uranium and accounts for 5–7% of global production.
The mine contains an estimated 2.8 million tonnes of uranium oxide within its total endowment.
Meanwhile, Boss Energy’s (ASX:BOE) Honeymoon mine is an in situ recovery uranium operation.
In FY2026, the mine produced 1.407 million pounds of uranium oxide, representing a 61% increase from the previous financial year.
On the exploration front, Orpheus Uranium is fully focused on developing its uranium projects. The company aims to supply materials to meet the world’s future energy needs.
In South Australia, the company has four key projects in three ‘promising’ basins for sedimentary-style uranium mineralisation, close to known uranium deposits.
Although Lincoln Minerals is mainly copper-focused, the company also has multiple highly prospective uranium targets across its existing tenement portfolio in SA. These include Jungle Dam, Carinya, and White Flat.
With Australia’s need for an energy grid that is affordable, reliable, and clean, the YouGov research emphasises the importance of nuclear energy in Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Main image: Unsplash
