Sir, – Aside from the Russians’ novel use of a nuclear plant as an “iron dome” to protect its invading army, those nuclear proponents who delight in taunting alternative energy advocates with “when the wind doesn’t blow” and “when the sun doesn’t shine” should take heed of France, where the rain hasn’t fallen.
Heatwaves have pushed up the temperature of the Rhone and Garonne rivers, forcing cuts in nuclear energy production to ensure the water used to cool the plants will not harm wildlife when it is released back into the rivers to clog up cooling inlets with more frequent algal blooms and exploding jellyfish populations.
With more than 50 per cent of France’s EDF’s 55 reactors out of service to address corrosion and extend their life beyond their original design limit, EDF estimates its power output this year will be the lowest in more than three decades.
Relying on an interconnector to a country with an ailing nuclear industry for our future energy security compares poorly with offshore wind turbines where – by the way – the wind almost always blows. – Yours, etc,
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TONY LOWES,
Friends of the
Irish Environment,
Eyeries,
Co Cork.