In the late 1970s, a summary was read aloud on the floor of the U.S. Congress concerning nuclear power plant expansion and the possible dangers involved should there be a catastrophic accident, and what would happen should a 1-megawatt reactor have a complete meltdown.

The following is part of what was entered into the Congressional Record and explained to all who attended that day.

“If the reactor core should lose its cooling system and have a complete core meltdown, it is very likely that the white hot mass will burn through the bottom of the containment building and continue into the earth below. When this out-of-control burning mass reaches the groundwater shelf, there will be a thermal explosion of radioactive steam that will rise to the surface and enter the atmosphere, spewing deadly radioactive particles and steam that will, in a 2-knot-an-hour wind, kill all living matter for 80 square miles.”

The mistake began when officials took the nuclear reactors for submarines out of the ocean, where they had all the coolant needed, and put them on dry land, building holding ponds for coolant. Two nuclear plants were built directly over major earthquake faults in California.

The French have gas-cooled plants and few problems.

It was 42 years ago that America planted its flag on the moon. Shouldn’t we, by now, have a safely designed coolant system for the nation’s power supply?

Federal legislators should be asked that question now.

William R. Rice Jr., Wilton