26th August 2006

Alan Postlethwaite says letters about energy would be better discussed elsewhere as the issues are not local (SNJ letters 23/08/06). This is extraordinary. Energy is perhaps the most important issue we face and the SNJ should be applauded for making space for debate.

The possibility of new nuclear reactors on existing sites, like Berkeley and Oldbury, both less than 16 miles from Stroud, make this an even more important local issue. Letters to the SNJ have rightly raised nuclear's poor safety record, cancer clusters (i), terrorism, dwindling uranium supplies, CO2 emissions from mining uranium, nuclears' limited contribution to overall energy supplies and the moral questions about Britain building more nuclear but not letting developing countries do the same.

Alan Postlethwaite argues that rising fuel prices now make nuclear viable. It is true the economics has and will shift further but the reality is that the economics do not stack up. The Government admits the £70 billion nuclear clean up bill will rise again due to 'considerable uncertainty' about decommissioning costs. Infact we can only guess at the costs of storing deadly waste for thousands of years - let alone whether it is right or safe to put that onto future generations.

Even the Sustainable Development Commission - advisers to the Government - concluded that there is no justification for a new nuclear power programme. A combination of massive scaling back of usage, and a sharp turn towards renewables is the most just, safe and economic approach.

Lastly I wholly disagree when Alan Postlethwaite suggests "the ordinary Stroudie must be baffled" and the discussion should be carried out instead in technical journals. This is a debate in which we all should have a say.

M. Harris,
Folly Lane, Stroud.

Notes:

(i) A study by Green Audit found cancer rates among young women living near disused nuclear power stations were 15 times higher than the national average. Michael Meacher, the former environment minister has called for an independent inquiry and a delay for future commitments to nuclear power until the health effects of radioactive wastes are known.