This letter is in support of the use of nuclear power to supply the increased need for electricity in coming years.

As we all know, there are several ways to satisfy our coming need for additional electricity. All things considered, nuclear power generation stands out as the No. 1 option. I would like us to support the combination of solar and nuclear power, with nuclear supplying the base load and solar the peak load, which usually occurs in the afternoon. Wind turbines, which are difficult to marry to the grid due to variations in their output, can be used as the electrical source for obtaining green hydrogen.

Many people are fearful of radiation. The radiation from a nuclear power plant, if one is sitting right next to it, might be one millirem or less, compared to the average background radiation in the U.S. of a little over 600, and in some parts of the country, over a thousand. And we all survive just fine. Nuclear has an extremely high safety record compared to the chemical/energy industry, and the plants occupy significantly less area.

Also, there is the question of nuclear waste, which is not actually “waste,” since it can be reprocessed. I highly recommend an article on April 28 in The New York Times, headlined, “Nuclear Waste is Misunderstood.” It is easily understandable and contains many facts that might allay the hysteria and misinformation around the use of nuclear power.

Robert L. Bogner

Durango