‘Green’ energy plans will lead to soaring bills

To the editor:

President Obama visited Las Vegas on May 26, along with Sen. Harry Reid. Both of these individuals toured the large solar energy installation at Nellis Air Force base and each independently touted the fact that this installation saves the government $1 million per year. Interestingly, neither individual mentioned that the initial cost of this solar facility was $100 million (as reported in the Review-Journal the summer of 2007). Thus, it will take 100 years for the annual savings to pay back the capital cost of the facility (not counting maintenance and replacement of solar panels as they fail). Only the federal government can afford this type of "savings."

The president and the senator know that the use of solar energy to generate electricity is expensive and can in no way compete with nuclear, coal, oil, or natural gas. They do not, however, want you to know that. As their renewable energy initiatives become more prevalent, you can expect the cost of your electricity to go through the roof.

Walter F. Wegst

LAS VEGAS

Too costly

To the editor:

Harry Reid made a big political pitch in his Saturday letter, touting his alternative energy "investments." But the remote wind and sun farms and their transmission lines would cost billions of dollars, and the couple of thousand new permanent jobs would be more than offset by the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in other energy industries. The cost, of course, will be paid by all Nevadans when their electricity bills increase.

This sounds like a terrible investment. If Sen. Reid wants to buy my vote, he's going to have to do a lot better job of explaining how this boondoggle can benefit Nevadans or anyone else in this country.

Tom Keller

HENDERSON

Thanks for nothing

To the editor:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the Legislature who voted for the gigantic tax increases.

Thanks for putting already struggling businesses out of business.

Thanks for putting the people who worked for these businesses in the unemployment line.

Thanks for being stooges for the all powerful public employee unions.

Keep up the good work and we will soon be just like California.

Larry Whyte

LAS VEGAS