Below is a letter published in the Tampa Tribune. It seems the paper ran a photo to illustrate a story about nuclear power, but the photo neglected to include an actual nuclear power plant. Link
As a former worker at the Crystal River nuclear plant, I thank you for your article Nov. 27 on the return of nuclear-generated electricity ("Energy Costs Improve Prospects For Nuclear Power"). However, the accompanying picture showed two fossil units at the upper part of the photo and two coal units at the bottom right; the nuclear plant to the right of these was out of the photo.
Unfortunately, support for nuclear power has been lacking due to public fear and ignorance about the technology. The media have perpetuated the image of nuclear plants as "spewing" radioactive gases from their stacks. The cooling towers at the top of the photo have nothing to do with the nuclear plant; they serve the two fossil units.
The media need to portray a more accurate image of the technology if public support is to increase toward lessening our dependence on fossil fuels.
Certainly, someone at the Tribune took high school physics and knows when a nuclear plant is in a picture.
MICHAEL FULLER
