Sir, – The two legal barriers to developing a nuclear power programme in Ireland are the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act and the Electricity Regulation Act 1999.
In both cases, these barriers are single lines of legislation; their removal would not impact on the rest of the Acts.
Work could then begin on the multiple stages in the development of low-carbon nuclear energy through the most suitable of the small reactors becoming available, to provide the reliable baseload for the ever-increasing levels of renewable energy on our electricity grid.
Until then, it seems, the plan is to increase reliance on high-emissions natural gas plants, as this is the only presently available baseload for ever-increasing levels of unreliable renewable energy to cope with transport and heating demand. – Yours, etc,
ANNE
BAILY,
Ballyneale,
Carrick-on-Suir,
Co Tipperary.