Financial Post (National Post)

Re: Small-Scale Plants Run Rings Around Nuclear, Sept. 29.

Lawrence Solomon presents a false choice when he compares nuclear power to small-scale power technologies like wind.

Mr. Solomon is wrong when he says we need to choose between nuclear and all the other potential power sources. Rather, it is a matter of deciding, on the basis of available supply and demand, environmental concerns and cost, what the appropriate energy mix should be.

As an example, Ontario has made a significant decision to eliminate greenhouse gas-emitting coal (currently 17% of Ontario's energy supply) from the energy mix by 2009. At the same time, the province is aggressively pushing its energy suppliers to increase renewable energy sources to 5% by 2007 and 10% by 2010, agreeing to pay more than five times the price of hydro, coal and nuclear. That means electrical supply is already diverse, and is expected to become more so in future.

A sensible approach requires both nuclear energy to provide safe, clean, reliable base load power, and renewables such as hydro, wind, and solar to provide additional power to the grid. While it's true wind and solar are intermittent and more expensive power sources, it's also clear they'll play a role along with nuclear in finally making a dent in Ontario's CO2 emissions.

When the Ontario Medical Association predicts poor air quality will kill 6,000 people in Ontario this year, and when we know nuclear energy is the only non-greenhouse-gas-emitting power source that can effectively replace fossil fuels and satisfy global demand, then it's time to drop the political rhetoric of the likes of Mr. Solomon and get very focused on solutions.

Dr. Patrick Moore, Vancouver

An advisor to government and industry, Dr. Patrick Moore is a Greenpeace co-founder and chairman and chief scientist of Greenspirit Strategies Ltd. in Vancouver.

www.GreenspiritStrategies.com