Diablo Canyon is a symptom of California's dangerous over-dependency on natural gas by Gene Nelson

Since 2016, I've been becoming an expert on California's energy systems. I have learned the state is dangerously overdependent on natural gas. The San Bruno PG&E natural gas pipeline explosion which killed 8 on September 9, 2010 should have prompted a re-examination of the state's over-dependency on natural gas. I'm going to summarize the roughly 2,000 pages of CPUC Intervenor Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Inc.'s (CGNP's) written testimony, workpapers, and oral hearing transcripts in the next few paragraphs. I request you forward this email to your Washington Post reporter contact.

1. California's large investor-owned utilities made sure the over-dependence story was not covered by any in-state media. The two big natural gas suppliers are Sempra (whose service territory covers southern California (including San Luis Obispo) and Pacific Gas & Electric. Both huge firms exert tremendous political power in California

2. I believe Sempra, which is a 20% owner of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) had a role in the decision to decommission SONGS after January, 2012. The issue was the plant's owners  mismanaged a routine service operation (replacement of the SONGS steam generators.) I believe SONGS was shut down to expand the market for natural gas, since SONGS was generating more than five times the annual output of Hoover Dam in 2011. PG&E's Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) produces the same amount of power.  (There is still an open criminal investigation regarding SONGS.)

3. Southern California's aging (mostly 60 plus years old) natural gas bulk transmission and storage system began to show signs of stress after SONGS went off line. Sempra had to compensate for the loss of SONGS by making more aggressive use of their Aliso Canyon Storage Field. (ACSF )You may recall that disaster near Porter Ranch that began in October, 2015 and ended in February, 2016. It was the world's biggest methane leak from a natural gas distribution and storage system to date.

4. There is plenty of evidence the plan to shut down DCPP in 2025 would serve to expand PG&E's natural gas business, much like occurred for Sempra after SONGS  went off line. It might also expand the use of out-of state coal-fired generation. A Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company, PacifiCorp has been pushing for an expansion of imported coal power since at least 2005. (Did  you know that Los Angeles is dependent on the huge Intermountain coal-fired power plant in Delta Utah?)

5. While CGNP was critically examining  the adverse consequences of PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) policy, we learned of a 5-day long power outage in San Diego County, California in the middle of October, 2019. San Diego County's electricity is supplied by a Sempra subsidiary, San Diego Gas & Electric. (SDG&E) Sempra turned off enough natural-gas-fired electricity generation to more than equal Hoover Dam  They had to turn off these generators because they needed to repair a portion of their natural gas bulk transmission system. There has been no news reporting regarding this huge outage. Instead, reporters have focused on PG&E's PSPS policy. You may read additional details about the problems with Sempra's aging and stressed natural gas transmission system in the attached July 11, 2019 story in The Los Angeles Times.

6. California has the greatest amount of solar (12,000 MW) and wind (6,000 MW) of any state. As a consequence of their intermittency, solar and wind generation are not benefiting the environment . In fact, CGNP has uncovered evidence that electric power sector emissions have been increasing This is great news if you are a wholesaler of natural gas like Sempra or PG&E. However, it is bad news for the environment and California ratepayers. An introduction to the problem is found in the attached August 11, 2016 Washington Post story.

7. While CGNP's investigations by a technical team that includes four Ph.D.s whose degrees relate to nuclear power production are very high quality, there has been scant media coverage regarding what we have uncovered. Our legal team is headed by former four-term California Assemblyman, Attorney Mike Gatto. Attorney Gatto chaired the powerful  Energy and Utilities Committee for one of his terms. We attempted to raise some of our points we uncovered with the CPUC to the State Court of Appeal. However, due to a quirk in California law, such review is discretionary, not mandatory. The Appeals Court declined to take our case. CGNP learned about PG&E being under criminal probation after the San Bruno Natural Gas Pipeline explosion. We have sent considerable amounts of CGNP's CPUC testimony to the Federal Monitor in that case. Federal Judge William H. Alsup is very interested in PG&E's ethical violations and PG&E's actions that harm California public safety. We have not yet been asked to provide oral testimony by Judge Alsup.

8. The vulnerabilities of California's aging natural gas distribution and storage system will become far worse as a consequence of plate tectonics. When a large earthquake occurs on the southern portion of the San Andreas Fault, Sempra's (and PG&E's) natural gas transmission system will suffer serious damage that will likely require months to repair.. The resulting humanitarian crisis could imperil the lives of millions in southern California. CGNP is working with the California State Seismic Safety Commission (CSSC) and Dr. Lucy Jones ("The Earthquake Lady") to publicize the public safety value of keeping DCPP on line and re-commissioning SONGS. These nuclear power stations operate independent of the state's aging and vulnerable natural gas distribution and storage system. Both plants are seismically rugged. They cold supply life-sustaining electric power. Some of that power could be used to desalinate seawater. I've attached CGNP's recent letter to Dr. Lucy Jones.

With this outline, I hope you have a better understanding of the huge dimensions of this story. Since The Washington Post is not under the control of Sempra or PG&E, they have much more freedom to report this story. I have plenty of information to back up my claims.  I look forward to your feedback and questions.

Gene Nelson, Ph.D.  Legal Assistant, Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Inc.  (805) 363 - 4697   Home email address: c0030180@airmail.net.