I love the idea of a group of physicians advocating for social responsibility. But I think Physicians for Social Responsibility has picked the wrong fight in opposing Point Beach Nuclear Plant, according to the March 27 article, "Physicians group challenges license extension." Instead of opposing polluting fossil fuels, they’re fighting the cleanest energy source: nuclear.
Their arguments: cherry-picking past accidents and pointing to vague claims. They mention Chernobyl and Fukushima, but they forget how more than 450 reactors have safely operated for decades. Citing Chernobyl is like claiming modern flight is dangerous because of the Hindenburg.
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Their argument on how aging reactors could fail is not science-based. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission performs extensive assessments of the plant's integrity. This in-depth evaluation isn’t seen in other industries that frequently kill people in accidents.
Not long ago, Wisconsin lost the Kewaunee nuclear plant. The state has still not recovered from losing such a large clean energy source, even with the significant addition of wind and solar. Natural gas and coal have filled in much of the gap. Coal can kill more people in a single day than nuclear power has ever.
My message to Physicians for Social Responsibility is to be willing to listen to the experts and fight against the real enemy --fossil fuels.
David LeClear, Stoughton