Coalition's nuclear plan long way off, faces delays

The coalition's nuclear energy plan will likely be beset with hurdles and delays, a leading environmental law expert warns, as state leaders vow to fight it.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Friday announced his $330 billion policy, which he said would lead to cheaper electricity for Australians.

Setting up seven nuclear reactors across five states would cost each of Australia's 13.6 million taxpayers more than $24,200.

There was no price modelling for power bills.

WA Premier Roger Cook slammed the costings as a "con" and threatened to seek legal advice over whether state laws could block a potential reactor proposed for Collie, south of Perth.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has previously said he had no plans to roll back prohibition on nuclear power plants in his state.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has previously written to Mr Dutton declaring she would not negotiate to overturn her state's ban.

Even the newly elected Liberal National Party leader in Queensland, David Crisafulli, has said his government would not repeal the state's nuclear ban.

Australian National University Professor Andrew Macintosh said while the current prohibition on nuclear generators at the federal level was the first obstacle, opposition from the states would create a "bunch of issues".

The federal government could acquire land to build the facilities, but that could be an "enormous debt," and wouldn't solve the gap caused by ageing coal-fired power stations retiring within the decade.

"If you're wanting to make nuclear energy a large part in our generation capacity in the national electricity market, then you're going to have to do something to bridge the gap," he said.

"It's going to take a long time before you even get the first nuclear generator, let alone a whole fleet that's able to basically trade one for coal. We shouldn't kid ourselves."

Nuclear energy generation would be up to twice as expensive as large-scale solar, according to analysis by the national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

The coalition has attacked Labor over high energy bills as households struggle with cost of living pressures.

The nation's coal power plants would be shut by 2038, according to the operator.

Prof Macintosh said decarbonisation of the power grid was going to cost a lot of money regardless, but generation from renewables was cheaper.