Industry experts are suggesting senior government figures are inflating the cost of constructing new coal-fired power stations.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has slapped down a push by a group of backbenchers to build “high efficiency, low emissions” coal plants.

He argues the electricity they produce would be more expensive, and taxpayers would have to cough up $4 billion to build each.

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Greg Evans tells Chris Smith research suggests otherwise.

“They figured in terms of capital costs it would be around $2.2 billion.”

Listen to the full interview below