LETTERS to the EDITOR A fresh focus on nuclear power is key to boosting Britain’s energy independence

SIR – No10 has now denied the rumours that the planned Sizewell C nuclear power plant could come under review.

We cannot afford any further delays. If we are serious about reducing our dependence on other nations for energy, this project must be completed with all haste.

We have already squandered our nuclear technological leadership, partly in response to anti-nuclear activists. We must not make matters worse.

Alan Webb

Atherstone, Warwickshire

SIR – Full-scale nuclear power stations take years to build and still add greatly to demands on the grid.

However, small modular reactors (SMRS), built by Rolls-royce and proven effective through years of service in our nuclear submarines, are capable of providing a home-grown solution.

They are significantly cheaper per gigawatt to install, can be implemented in a fraction of the time of large-scale units, and have a much less intrusive footprint. Furthermore, they can be located close to the areas of maximum demand, thus reducing the load on the grid.

The export opportunities are not to be sneezed at either. What’s not to like?

Colin Amies

Docking, Norfolk

SIR – How many nuclear power stations could be built for the cost of HS2?

Steve Duckworth

Frimley Green, Surrey

SIR – I strongly disagree with Nick Timothy (Comment, November 2) about solar and wind farms. Farmland should be used for crops.

Meanwhile, it should be absolutely mandatory that every single new-build house has solar-panel roofing.

If this had been done years ago, our energy supplies would be in a much better state now.

Phyllis Jones

Bedford

SIR – There is surely a problem with the energy suppliers’ plans to offer discounts to customers who switch their usage to non-peak times: won’t it just create a new peak time?

Wendy Harrison

Crewe, Cheshire