Toole raises doubts after Mount Piper selected for nuclear power station

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.

In a statement, Mr Toole said he is "cautious" after the announcement.

"[The announcement] lacks detail and has raised more questions than answers," he said.

"I'll be writing to Peter Dutton and inviting him to Lithgow to speak to the community directly, as they will be most affected by this proposed plan.

"I am asking Mr Dutton to provide further details rather than leave the residents of Lithgow in the dark."

While Mr Toole wants more information, 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.

"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.

Mr Toole appears to have gone cold on the plan after initially supporting nuclear power in January.

On his social media account he 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 - braking ranks with federal Nationals leader David Littleproud and state leader Dugald Saunders.