AS a parish councillor, I was invited to the closing down of Fawley B Power Station, expecting to see a dilapidated complex past its sell-by date.

Instead I saw the whole plant was well maintained and in first-class working order.

In previous years it was able to come so quickly on line that possible power cuts were avoided.

This incompetent nasty government seems to have made no provision for possible power cuts if we have a bad winter, and after the next election when the lights go out, you could be sitting in candlelight (if the EU and Health and Safety have not banned them).

You could be cold with no TV, radio or computer, freezer in danger of defrosting.

Remember which individual politicians were responsible.

With the possibility of abundant cheap shale gas if vested interests of the oil industry, let’s hope the BBC and other lobbyists do not scare this weak government into banning the exploration and development.

Fawley B would be an ideal power station ready to come on line, and until that time it should be mothballed and the excellent management team and workers who have maintained it in such good order should be employed as a crew ready to reopen Fawley A.

Cllr PHILIP PEARCE-SMITH, Southampton.