Nuclear blueprint

Nick Dekker (Letters, 3 November) is correct that website claims on the cost of French electricity are a poor guide to future costs of energy from nuclear plants, but he is wrong to believe our existing nuclear plants provide any better guide.

All our existing nuclear plant designs are unique to the UK, and virtually all those are one-off designs without anything similar built even on our own shores. Potential developers have made clear that any future plants will be of standard international designs, where we can tread in the footsteps of other nations and build a near replica of an existing power plant.

The reason no companies are yet applying for planning permission is that these standard designs are currently being licensed for UK use. Once that is done, I'm sure we will see applications come forward, but the fact that EdF paid more than 12 billion for British Energy and the access to its potential new build sites is a pretty clear signal of intent.

ADRIAN BULL

Westinghouse Electric Company

Springfields Site

Preston, Lancashire