M Palmer's letter of August 29 preferring 20 wind turbines down the Severn Estuary to a monstrous atomic power station illustrates how important it is that people should understand the numbers involved. The planned new nuclear power station at Hinckley Point will have a capacity of 3200 Mw (megawatts).

By comparison the Robin Bank Wind Farm that fills the Solway Firth has 60 wind turbines with a total capacity of 180 Mw (when the wind blows). So the true comparison is over 1000 wind turbines down the Severn Estuary plus of course a monstrous conventional coal or gas power station to back them up when there is no wind.

We have to make choices based on the right numbers.

– J Lees, Bream.