“In response to the Feb. 9 letter by John J. Kelly: As long as the possibility of a major radiation leak exists at the Indian Point nuclear power plants, or any nuclear power plant for that matter, nuclear power is not a viable solution.

There does not have to be a natural disaster or even a terrorist strike to cause a major accident. All it could take is a couple of workers who make a couple of “minor” mistakes or overlook one little item, and this series of events could “domino” into a Chernobyl or near-Chernobyl-like accident. It scares me when people say a system is safe from man-made and natural disasters. No man-made system is “foolproof.”

More people have been affected by Chernobyl in recent years than when the accident first happened. The released radiation has affected generations. And it will continue to affect future generations. Official estimates of how much total radiation was released from Chernobyl range from one-quarter to 80 percent of the total radiation that the plant contained. Whatever the percentage actually was, the results are plain to see.

We are the dominant species on this planet. We possess an energy source that has shown its deadly force. What are just as bad, if not worse, are radiation’s long-term negative effects when exposed to the natural environment. We have shown our inability to totally control nuclear energy.

It is our responsibility to eliminate this energy source. Present day “affordable electricity” from nuclear power is too high a price to pay.“

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