Nuclear power plants proposed for Queensland lack sufficient water to prevent a meltdown, potentially straining drinking and irrigation supplies, research indicates. Analysis by the Queensland Conservation Council found one proposed reactor would require double the water of the existing Callide coal-fired plant, and another, Tarong, would need 55% more than its coal precursor. With Tarong primarily dependent on the Boondooma Dam, which also serves the town of Kingaroy and agricultural areas, and a secondary pipeline to Brisbane’s Wivenhoe Dam, water availability remains a critical concern. The report suggests there wouldn’t be enough water in Wivenhoe and Boondooma to halt a meltdown, citing the massive amounts used to cool Japan’s Fukushima reactors in 2011. The coalition deems the study flawed, but critics argue the plan is unrealistic, pointing to the risk of drought in South Australia and the need for extensive coastal nuclear installations resorting to seawater, which poses further challenges and costs.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/23/proposed-nuclear-power-plants-in-queensland-could-not-access-enough-water-to-prevent-a-meltdown-research-finds