Opinions sought on nuclear power generation in Murrumbidgee

According to Murrumbidgee Council's general manager the move has come on the back of some community disenchantment and concern over wind and solar renewable energy in the area.

The online survey aims to gauge residents feedback in an effort to explore diverse energy solutions and the appetite for nuclear power.

"Essentially the survey is asking if there a more sustainable way to create renewable energy," Mr Scarce said.

"While there isn't precise opposition to solar, there are many people who aren't happy about it.

"There have been companies that have come through with solar endeavors and some have done it well while others have not," he said.

"The kicker is the fact of having to tear down the farms at the end of their life cycle.

"Coleambally and Jerilderie are right in middle of a renewable energy zone so those towns and outlying farmers are the ones most impacted by solar," he said.

"So, the question is would they be happy with nuclear if it meant allowing for more productive agricultural land?

"Is there a better way forward than turning high-value land into fields of solar panels?"

The survey is designed as a precursor to gathering more information on the idea, with a view to undertaking a more formal poll in the future.

He said a poll question could be incorporated into this years local government election.

"If the results from the survey are a resounding yes, we will set up a poll question at the local government election which will give us a clear answer on where the community stands," Mr Scarce said.

"The coalition is talking about nuclear power now so we want to be in a position to tell future governments what we want.

"We want genuine opinions so we can provide feedback to the government because consultation with the community was not something we had when it came to wind and solar," he said.

"It was just declared our area would be the renewable energy zone and that was that.

"The hope is this survey will be the start of allowing the community to have a voice on these matters," Mr Scarce said.

"Our community's energy future is a shared responsibility, and it's crucial we consider a diverse range of options to meet our needs sustainably."

The survey can be accessed online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7S866X8 and will remain open until 5pm May 22.