On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 12:23:34 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

But it doesn't produce greenhouse gases like driving cars, including
hybrids, does.

Actually it would be cheaper than oil or gas at todays prices IF two things
were to happen

- it wasn't so completely sutrounded with sfatey regulations that are way
in excess of what is required for any other industrial activity pro rata to
te risk to life involved

- it wasn't effectively taxed with respet to the disposal of its waste
material way above what is fair compared with other indistrial activities.

Nuclear decommissioning currently costs 2.2bn a year of which half
comes directly from Treasury, ie us taxpayers:

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:nE3Mp5PSG_wJ:www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051017/text/51017w40.htm+site:.co.uk+nuclear+power+2.2+billion &hl=en&client=opera

Contrast that with the 80m a year (500m over next 6 years) spending
_planned_ for renewables:

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:Zh0Qm0CR114J:www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050628/text/50628w07.htm+site:.co.uk+hansard+500+million%20ren ewable%20&hl=en&client=opera

People have been very emotional about nuclear power. i've heard ministers
claiming blatint lies to be facts...

I'd expect nothing less from T Bliar...

Fortunately the game has switched from 'can we afford to take the risk' to
'can we afford NOT to take the risk'

And te short answr is , no we can't. There is a greater risk to UK society
from not going ahead with more nuclear plant than from going ahead with it.

They should spend a *lot* more on renewables and energy efficiency as
well, as is being done in Germany and Japan.

However this would now require another U turn so is looking more and
more unlikely.

Also we've been selling the last of our gas cheaply to the continent
for years, and now we're having to buy it back at inflated prices.
Absurd...

cheers,
Pete.