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Nuclear is not hot air Letter from J. M. Clarke, Shalfleet, IoW - Daily Mail, February 13, 2007 Some people seem to want to equate one wind turbine to one nuclear plant or foal-fired station (letters). If that were true, wind-generated power would be unbeatable, but the reality is very different. There are currently 136 wind farms in the UK with a total of 1,733 turbines, producing a potential 1,963 megawatts of power. This doesn't match the output of even one power station such as coal-fired Drax nuclear Sizewell B and they are producing electricity all the time, whereas the wind farms operate at only 30% to 40% capacity at best. I agree we should be doing all we can to minimise greenhouse gases, and maybe wind turbines (particularly those offshore) have a part to play. But we must be careful not to spoil beautiful areas of this country for minuscule amounts of power. We have to be realistic. I suspect that few of us are willing to change our lifestyles seriously and experience repeated power failures which would be the result of a reliance on wind generation. As a result, I feel that, despite the downsides, we have to follow the nuclear path. After all, the French manage very well (producing 78% of their power by nuclear means) and several of their plants are only a few miles away across the channel. If you have suggestions for additional subjects, or material to include in the pages linked to the subjects listed, please contact the webmaster.
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