The key to a clean, green nuclear future

sir – I am a chartered engineer, and worked in the energy sector for almost 50 years. I enjoyed the excellent letters (October 6) from Steve Proud and Richard Holroyd on the subject of renewable energy and nuclear fusion.

Since Walter Marshall, chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board, was refused permission in 1989 to build a fleet of nuclear power stations similar to Sizewell “B”, as the Government had decided to sell the business, Britain’s electricity supply industry has been the victim of ignorant politicians in both main parties. They do not understand that, while you can distort finances, for example, by the application of incentives, taxes and creative accounting, the principles of engineering and laws of physics cannot be so manipulated.

As Mr Proud states, if nonsynchronous generation from wind, solar and tidal sources exceeds about 30 per cent of generation, the grid becomes unstable, and blackouts will occur. The remaining 70 per cent must be generated by high inertia synchronous generators; currently, the only ones that are essentially carbon-free are nuclear-based.

I share Mr Holroyd’s views on nuclear fusion. This is the holy grail of electricity generation, but only works on a very large scale – and the first commercial plant will probably not be commissioned until 2050 or later, so cannot contribute to ameliorating global warming. The Prime Minister’s allocation of £220 million to the development of fusion is therefore well-meaning but misplaced, representing only about 1 per cent of the cost of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

It would be better if this sum were directed towards the development of thorium-based nuclear power. The physics and technology were proved in 1962. Thorium is, compared to uranium, plentiful and widely distributed, cannot be weaponised and produces less long-lived radioactive waste – and the existing reactor designs are fail-safe. Bruce Gawler

Chippenham, Wiltshire