Why some locals near a proposed power plant isn't warming to nuclear energy plan

Six months ago opposition leader Peter Dutton announced a Coalition government would lead Australia on an energy revolution powered by nuclear.

The Coalition calls it a 'coal-to-nuclear transition', which would overturn state and federal bans on nuclear energy.

While there has since been two CSIRO reports showing renewable energy is the cheaper option, the Coalition is expected to announce the cost details of its nuclear policy this week.

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With an election just around the corner, does the Liberal-Nationals' promise for a nuclear solution pass the pub test?

A Current Affair asked locals in Victoria's Gippsland region, where one of seven nuclear power plants is slated if the Coalition form government, to find out.

Watch the full video in the player above.

FULL STATEMENT FROM THE SHADOW MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY TED O'BRIEN

We've decided to release the economics of our energy policy in two parts. The first report, already released, shows that Labor's plan for a net zero electricity grid will cost over $640 billion— that's five times more than what the Albanese Government has told Australians.

Chris Bowen has claimed it will cost $122 billion, but independent analysis from Frontier Economics has revealed that the true figure is over half a trillion dollars more, exposing Labor's misleading cost estimates.

The second report, to be released this week, will highlight the economics of a grid that includes zero-emissions nuclear energy alongside renewables and gas.

This week's release of the economics of our policy builds on information we have already published on our nuclear plans from the technology and timeline to regulation and ownership and also community engagement, benefits and issues from workforce and infrastructure.

We are still early days of engagement with local communities as our plan is to undertake a 2½-year consultation process upon coming to government in each of the 7 communities including Traralgon, to ensure residents can have their questions answered by leading experts.

Respecting and engaging local communities is central to the Coalition's cheaper, cleaner, and more consistent energy plan—unlike Labor, which is steamrolling regional communities to rollout their renewables-only plan.

I've spent time in each of the seven local communities - I was in Traralgon last week - to hear directly from locals. This face-to-face engagement on the ground will continue both from opposition and then over a 2½-year process in government before a final decision is made.

Our plan, which includes regional deals and integrated economic development zones, will reenergise regional communities and create new opportunities as coal-fired power stations retire.