Folly of Hinkley Point

SIR – In your editorial “Is Hinkley Point C the right way forward?” (September 12), you claim that it is not unusual for wind generation to produce a fifth of the country’s electricity.

Unfortunately, this is fairly rare and limited to a few hours at a time. Far more often, wind generation barely produces 2 per cent of demand.

You also claim that nuclear power takes up the slack when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine. This is not correct. Nuclear provides a continuous base load of about 8 gigawatts, and it is down to gas and coal to pick up the slack.

It is pleasing to note that more attention is being given to the development of small modular reactors, which could be strategically dispersed around the country. Unfortunately, there will inevitably be opposition from the “green” brigade.

The decision to approve the building of Hinkley C is just as foolish as giving the go-ahead for HS2.

Rowland Pantling

Pewsey, Wiltshire