THE Soap Box contribution on nuclear energy needs a reply (Letters, July 18).

The Government decision was based on prolonged inquiries and experience of 55 years of nuclear power stations and lessons learned as the technology developed to present-day standards. It is possible that the new stations will be all or partially financed privately.

Being ready for “the generation gap” applies to any form of new energy, and there is no indication that other “greener” forms, heavily subsidised or not, could replace fully nuclear power, which produces six per cent of electrical energy from 19 stations.

Information from scientists and other experts does not indicate any chance of the Japanese earthquake situation occurring in Britain.

Over the 55 years nuclear waste has been dealt with and further methods are being developed for dealing with it. A few, but no serious number of cancers have been proved to be attributable to this waste. Cancers occur in many places where no nuclear power stations are nearby.

More than 300 nuclear power stations are in many countries, including France, which produces 80 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power and would find it impossible to replace with alternative forms of supply. It is pretty obvious that the same would apply to the United Kingdom.

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.