Donald Chung, in his April 4 letter, made a very valid point on nuclear energy and re-echoes a point made ad nauseam in this newspaper. The experts can check to ascertain the costs, but, subject to correction, I believe that the cost of nuclear energy would make alumina production much more profitable, pushing down the electricity component of the alumina extraction process from 40 per cent to between 15 and 18 per cent.

In addition, the cheap electric power would open new possibilities, like the competitive reduction of alumina to aluminium and the manufacturing of associated by-products. In addition, electric furnaces for high-end alloys and other power-intensive projects could become possible by adding a pebble bed reactor module to the system, as we need it, so not everything would need to be built at one time.

Financing possibilities could be bonds (1) to the alumina producing companies (2) locally, (3) to the design/build/operate contractors, (4) international lending agencies. Processing of the spent nuclear pebbles could be negotiated with the design/build/operate contractors. They reprocess them and for the sceptics, there is much to be learnt online.

For some time now, the cost of processing Jamaican bauxite has been climbing into the realm of uncompetitiveness, so those in charge should act swiftly to make the best of the remainder of the ore we have in the ground. It may even be useful for us to pick up one or two alumina refineries cheaply (on an extended payment schedule). One thing for sure though, unless we can access cheap power and own some of our local production, Jamaica is going nowhere, fast.

I am, etc.,

STEAD WILLIAMS

sweng19@hotmail.com

Stony Hill

Kingston 9