What Does a Future Without Nuclear Power Look Like for Southern California?

What Does a Future Without Nuclear Power Look Like for Southern California?

"But figuring out how to replace the power generated at SONGS is not a simple equation. While the power plant produced 2,200 megawatts, the commission needed to determine just how much energy the utilities actually need in coming years with efficiency measures reducing demand, but population growth adding more pressure. “We have to plan to meet energy needs for buildings that are not yet constructed,” said Martinez.
The problem is further complicated by the fact that the SONGS replacement decision overlapped with another big regulatory change — the phasing out of coastal power plants using “once-through cooling” (OTC) in which ocean water is used to cool turbines. The practice, now considered a threat to marine health, returns the water to the environment at a hotter temperature. As a result of the OTC rule, the public utilities commission reports that the LA Basin may see 4,900 megawatts of energy lost from retired plants."
http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/what_does_a_future_without_nuclear_power_look_like_for_southern_california