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Written by John Button
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Saturday, 27 May 2006 |
Sir, The headline "Nuclear ruination", that you gave to Dorothy Parry's
letter concerning the aesthetic impact of Trawsfynnydd power station
(May 27) on its surrounding landscape is surely misleading. I hope not
intentional so.
The architecture, landscaping and surrounding pylons to which her letter made reference, whatever their merits or otherwise, are not a consequence of the fuel or technology used to generate electricity there. The location of this power station in an area of "once bare moorland" is entirely the consequence of, what time has shown to be, misplaced caution on the part of planning authorities.
In this context, it should be remembered that of the 440 electricity generating stations now running on nuclear technology all around the world, none has caused radiation or other damage to its surrounding environment or local population.
The Chernobyl incident was caused by wilful negligence on the part of its operating staff, which resulted in a fire (not an explosion) and was, in the first place, built to a design that would not have been licensed for operation outside what was then the USSR.
Yours truly
John Button
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