THE sweeping statement on nuclear power by the Green Party representative is a repeat of all the dire warnings which are regularly aired by such as him (Letters, December 1).

Financing the country's energy is an absolute necessity and takes priority over all things. The costs should not be questioned once the need is proven.

The renewable energy sources named will only produce a fraction of the energy required in Britain and will never be much more.

Imagine huge areas of the countryside and seashore blanketed with windmills - think of the objectors who will want to have their say.

It cannot be expected that energy will be saved by cutting the use of fossil fuel and new designs for buildings etc. This would take many years to have any effect.

Nuclear power has been around for some time, producing 20 per cent of this country's energy needs - an amount that could not be generated from renewable energy.

The Chernobyl incident was a result of inefficient and poorly developed technology and should not be used for scaremongering.

France has 70 per cent energy supplied from nuclear power and is not likely to change.

Other countries will continue to develop nuclear energy.

This country cannot afford to be left behind and should aim at having its own independent supply of energy.

The question of nuclear waste has been with us all the time and has caused only a few problems. Eventually, there will have to be an answer to what to do with it, but the need for our own energy must take priority.

J Beisly,

Osprey Close, York.

Updated: 10:28 Tuesday, December 06, 2005