No to nuclear

Published on Wednesday 9 June 2010 19:03

Alan Black (Letters, 9 June) misunderstands my argument for the progressive abandonment of combustion of fossil fuels, in favour of renewable sources of energy in Scotland, as an argument in support of the construction of new nuclear power stations. Fortunately, Scotland has adequate renewable sources of energy such as hydro-electric and tidal and wave power, in addition to wind farms. The latter have to be seen as a valuable complementary resource in relation to our present population.

We will not be ripping the sails off yachts because the wind is intermittent!

There is, understandably, a vociferous, commercial lobby in favour of the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland, and the former Lib Dem-Lab Executive declared that it was opposed to the construction of new nuclear power stations, unless the problem of long-term disposal of nuclear waste had been solved. I understand that this remains the Scottish Government's present position.

(DR) DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh