Lithgow named as nuclear power station site despite council pushback

The announcement on Wednesday, June 19, by federal opposition leader Peter Dutton, comes five days after Lithgow City Council pushed back against the region being used.

Mount Piper, owned by EnergyAustralia and slated to close as a coal-powered power station in 2040, joins six other locations under the proposal.

They are Collie in Western Australia, Liddell in NSW, Callide and Tarong in Queensland, Port Augusta in South Australia and Loy Yang in Victoria.

As Mount Piper is privately owned, it is understood the government would need to purchase the site and it would be run by a government-owned corporation.

Lithgow council said it is against the move.

In a statement on Friday, June 14, Lithgow mayor Maree Statham said: "More than four decades ago, this council declared the city to be a nuclear free zone. This policy position remains in place."

"It is my intention to invite Peter Dutton to visit Lithgow and explain to this community why they should welcome a nuclear power plant in their backyard when no other community across Australia would do this," she said.

"I will suggest that he also then speak to the more than five million people in Sydney who drink water that is sourced from the catchment where he would like to place nuclear power plants."

The statement said the council calls on all levels of government and political parties to undertake significant investment and action in places like Lithgow to grow and strengthen their economies for a time when mining and power generation will be less significant.

It is unclear whether Bathurst MP Paul Toole is in support of the move.

On his social media account in January, the former deputy premier said: "Need Feds (both sides of politics) to provide nuclear energy so all Australian residents and businesses have cheap and affordable power."

In May, media reports suggested Mr Toole was less sure of the idea - breaking ranks with federal Nationals leader David Littleproud and state leader Dugald Saunders.

Mr Toole was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.