DR Kelvin Kemm, perhaps rightly, is offended by Bishop Geoff Davies’ comments that “nuclear scientists” have misled President Jacob Zuma (“Your ignorance is offensive” – Business Report December 22). I doubt whether these remarks were meant personally however.
Neither gentleman has produced nor referred to any specific quantitative data to prove their points.
I wonder whether there is any such information with regard to the merits of the various methods of power generation and distribution – coal/gas, renewable, nuclear.
Press reports certainly indicate that the time frame for nuclear is unacceptable in view of our present situation.
The press indicates that the disadvantages of renewable (energy) are not insurmountable but, has anyone done a detailed cost/benefit analysis on the alternatives, let alone the technical and the safety factors.
While renewable energy requires storage facilities for electricity during darkness and windless periods, nuclear has additional costs of waste disposal and coal/gas aggravates global warming.
Finally if all the “brain power” being applied to the arguments were directed at the job-on-hand (Medupi and Kusile power stations) maybe we could all have reliable and adequate power supplies for a more prosperous country.
CPD Ogilvy
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