The Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has rejected claims made by several media outlets that its renewable energy cost estimates, made in the Integrated System Plan and the GenCost Report, do not include transmission and energy storage requirements. Some of the erroneous media coverage favored small modular nuclear reactors as the alternative to wind-solar-storage, in line with the position of Australia’s main opposition parties. The future of the 1.5 GW Marinus transmission link from Tasmania to the Australian mainland is in jeopardy in light of a further increase to the expected cost of the project. Local politicians want to see a greater share of the $3.3 billion USD cost borne by the federal government, which is indeed likely to happen.…