The Continued Safe Operation of Diablo Canyon becomes a Campaign Issue |
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Kathleen Ronayne, AP Supervisory Correspondent
Sacramento, CA: (916) 448-9555, 603-724-5647 cell
kronayne@ap.org email
January 15, 2020
Dear Kathleen:
I would like to alert you to a unique California news story. I believe for
the first time, the continued safe operation of a nuclear power plant has
become a campaign issue. The power plant is California's last nuclear
power plant, Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) which began operation near
San Luis Obispo in 1984.
This is a "pocketbook" issue as DCPP is the largest private sector
employer on the California central coast, providing about 1,500
well-paying "head of household" jobs. DCPP contributes about $1 billion
annually to the region's largely rural economy. DCPP is also California's
largest power plant by far, running 24/7, 365 days a year. DCPP produces
the equivalent of more than 5 Hoover Dams of electricity. DCPP's
emission-free electricity is safe and cost-effective, undercutting the
cost of PG&E's fossil-fired production. DCPP does not require the burning
of huge amounts of natural gas to compensate for intermittency, as is the
case for solar and wind. (No wonder fossil energy suppliers such as BP
America are promoting wind and solar.)
DCPP contributes to California public safety as it is fuel secure - it
operates independently of California's aging and vulnerable natural gas
transmission and storage system which has failed a number of times. Recent
failures include the San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion where 8 died
in 2010 and at Sempra's Aliso Canyon Storage Field, near Los Angeles which
became the world's biggest methane leak in 2015.
DCPP is earthquake-resistant, safely emplaced in bedrock on the California
coast, high above the water to make it immune from tsunami threats. DCPP
continued to operate safely during and after the nearby San Simeon
earthquake in December, 2003. This earthquake was powerful enough to kill
two in Paso Robles, California
DCPP contributes to drought resilience. It has a desalination station that
can produce 1.5 million gallons a day (MGD) of drinking water. The
desalination station could easily be expanded to 100+ million gallons per
day, making it twice as large as the 50 MGD plant in Carlsbad, CA. For a
number of reasons, California desalination should be expanded. The African
nation of Algeria, with a comparable population to California, desalinates
ten times as much water as the state.
When there is a massive earthquake on the southern section of the San
Andreas Fault, southern California's energy and water lifelines will be
disrupted for months to years. This scenario was discussed in the 2008
"ShakeOut Scenario" developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Since 95% of
California's natural gas is imported via large-diameter pipelines,
southern Californians could have almost no energy to recover from this
massive earthquake. They will also have very little water as the aqueducts
feeding southern California will be shattered. Electricity is the easiest
and fastest lifeline to restore after an earthquake. It is far more
cost-effective to move electricity than water. Electric-powered
desalination stations could provide life-sustaining water to southern
California after "the big one."
With all of these advantages (which DCPP plant owner PG&E is aware of,)
why have they submitted a voluntary plan to cease operation of DCPP in
2025? Because there are huge profit opportunities in building new natural
gas-fired generation plants and transmission lines. Those new plants will
burn huge quantities of PG&E's natural gas. contributing millions more
tons of emissions annually. This highly-polluting scenario is exactly
what happened when other U.S. nuclear plants closed such as Vermont Yankee
and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) near San Clemente, CA.
DCPP is well-maintained as one of the nation's best nuclear power plants.
DCPP is an industry leader in plant modernization. It was conservatively
designed to last a century, instead of being turned off after only 40
years.
ABOUT CALIFORNIANS FOR GREEN NUCLEAR POWER, INC.(CGNP) Independent
nonprofit CGNP has advocated for the environment, ratepayers, and public
safety as an Intervenor before the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC.) The core of
CGNP's technical team are four volunteer Ph.D.s whose degrees are related
to nuclear power production. CGNP's legal team is headed by Mike Gatto,
former four-term California Assemblyman. Attorney Gatto was chair of the
powerful Energy and Utilities Committee for one of his terms. More
information is available at our website, http://CGNP.org
NOTE: Stacy Korsgaden's email is Stacy@StacyForSupervisor.com
Gene Nelson, Ph.D. (805) 363 - 4697 cell
------------------------------
As a "kick off" to the spring election season in San Luis Obispo (SLO)
County, California, the newspaper New Times SLO is holding a Live Forum
featuring 3rd District Supervisoral candidates Stacy Korsgaden and Adam
Hill at the SLO County Government Center Board Chambers at 1055 Monterey
St.
Time: 6:00 PM Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2020
I'm disseminating this information because you will learn there is a big
difference between Stacy Korsgaden's strong support for the continued safe
operation of Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) beyond 2025 for many good
reasons and Adam Hill's ongoing acquiescence to PG&E's voluntary plan to
close the safe, highly functioning DCPP in 2025. Stacy's website is
https://stacyforsupervisor.com
Adam Hill's perspective regarding this important SLO County issue is the
featured item at his Adam Hill for Supervisor website https://adamhill.us/
I've attached a "screen grab" i took on January 14, 2020. The source of
the quote is 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson, Ph.D. who has made a
number of statements opposing the continued safe operation of Diablo
Canyon Power Plant. Gibson is not up for election now.
This event is free and open to the public. It will be streamed live on the
New Times SLO Facebook page and will be live on the air on KVEC 96.5 FM
and AM 920. (If you are out of town, please go the the KVEC 920 website at
http://www.920kvec.com/ and click on the "Listen Live" button.)
I will be there with my green T-shirt supporting the continued safe
operation of Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
I support Stacy Korsgaden for 3rd District Supervisor. I live in the 3rd
District.
Gene Nelson, Ph.D. CGNP Legal Assistant
Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Inc. (CGNP)
1375 East Grand Ave Ste 103 #523
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420-2421
(805) 363 - 4697 cell
Government@CGNP.org email
http://CGNP.org website
Sacramento, CA: (916) 448-9555, 603-724-5647 cell
kronayne@ap.org email
January 15, 2020
Dear Kathleen:
I would like to alert you to a unique California news story. I believe for
the first time, the continued safe operation of a nuclear power plant has
become a campaign issue. The power plant is California's last nuclear
power plant, Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) which began operation near
San Luis Obispo in 1984.
This is a "pocketbook" issue as DCPP is the largest private sector
employer on the California central coast, providing about 1,500
well-paying "head of household" jobs. DCPP contributes about $1 billion
annually to the region's largely rural economy. DCPP is also California's
largest power plant by far, running 24/7, 365 days a year. DCPP produces
the equivalent of more than 5 Hoover Dams of electricity. DCPP's
emission-free electricity is safe and cost-effective, undercutting the
cost of PG&E's fossil-fired production. DCPP does not require the burning
of huge amounts of natural gas to compensate for intermittency, as is the
case for solar and wind. (No wonder fossil energy suppliers such as BP
America are promoting wind and solar.)
DCPP contributes to California public safety as it is fuel secure - it
operates independently of California's aging and vulnerable natural gas
transmission and storage system which has failed a number of times. Recent
failures include the San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion where 8 died
in 2010 and at Sempra's Aliso Canyon Storage Field, near Los Angeles which
became the world's biggest methane leak in 2015.
DCPP is earthquake-resistant, safely emplaced in bedrock on the California
coast, high above the water to make it immune from tsunami threats. DCPP
continued to operate safely during and after the nearby San Simeon
earthquake in December, 2003. This earthquake was powerful enough to kill
two in Paso Robles, California
DCPP contributes to drought resilience. It has a desalination station that
can produce 1.5 million gallons a day (MGD) of drinking water. The
desalination station could easily be expanded to 100+ million gallons per
day, making it twice as large as the 50 MGD plant in Carlsbad, CA. For a
number of reasons, California desalination should be expanded. The African
nation of Algeria, with a comparable population to California, desalinates
ten times as much water as the state.
When there is a massive earthquake on the southern section of the San
Andreas Fault, southern California's energy and water lifelines will be
disrupted for months to years. This scenario was discussed in the 2008
"ShakeOut Scenario" developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Since 95% of
California's natural gas is imported via large-diameter pipelines,
southern Californians could have almost no energy to recover from this
massive earthquake. They will also have very little water as the aqueducts
feeding southern California will be shattered. Electricity is the easiest
and fastest lifeline to restore after an earthquake. It is far more
cost-effective to move electricity than water. Electric-powered
desalination stations could provide life-sustaining water to southern
California after "the big one."
With all of these advantages (which DCPP plant owner PG&E is aware of,)
why have they submitted a voluntary plan to cease operation of DCPP in
2025? Because there are huge profit opportunities in building new natural
gas-fired generation plants and transmission lines. Those new plants will
burn huge quantities of PG&E's natural gas. contributing millions more
tons of emissions annually. This highly-polluting scenario is exactly
what happened when other U.S. nuclear plants closed such as Vermont Yankee
and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) near San Clemente, CA.
DCPP is well-maintained as one of the nation's best nuclear power plants.
DCPP is an industry leader in plant modernization. It was conservatively
designed to last a century, instead of being turned off after only 40
years.
ABOUT CALIFORNIANS FOR GREEN NUCLEAR POWER, INC.(CGNP) Independent
nonprofit CGNP has advocated for the environment, ratepayers, and public
safety as an Intervenor before the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC.) The core of
CGNP's technical team are four volunteer Ph.D.s whose degrees are related
to nuclear power production. CGNP's legal team is headed by Mike Gatto,
former four-term California Assemblyman. Attorney Gatto was chair of the
powerful Energy and Utilities Committee for one of his terms. More
information is available at our website, http://CGNP.org
NOTE: Stacy Korsgaden's email is Stacy@StacyForSupervisor.com
Gene Nelson, Ph.D. (805) 363 - 4697 cell
------------------------------
As a "kick off" to the spring election season in San Luis Obispo (SLO)
County, California, the newspaper New Times SLO is holding a Live Forum
featuring 3rd District Supervisoral candidates Stacy Korsgaden and Adam
Hill at the SLO County Government Center Board Chambers at 1055 Monterey
St.
Time: 6:00 PM Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2020
I'm disseminating this information because you will learn there is a big
difference between Stacy Korsgaden's strong support for the continued safe
operation of Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) beyond 2025 for many good
reasons and Adam Hill's ongoing acquiescence to PG&E's voluntary plan to
close the safe, highly functioning DCPP in 2025. Stacy's website is
https://stacyforsupervisor.com
Adam Hill's perspective regarding this important SLO County issue is the
featured item at his Adam Hill for Supervisor website https://adamhill.us/
I've attached a "screen grab" i took on January 14, 2020. The source of
the quote is 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson, Ph.D. who has made a
number of statements opposing the continued safe operation of Diablo
Canyon Power Plant. Gibson is not up for election now.
This event is free and open to the public. It will be streamed live on the
New Times SLO Facebook page and will be live on the air on KVEC 96.5 FM
and AM 920. (If you are out of town, please go the the KVEC 920 website at
http://www.920kvec.com/ and click on the "Listen Live" button.)
I will be there with my green T-shirt supporting the continued safe
operation of Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
I support Stacy Korsgaden for 3rd District Supervisor. I live in the 3rd
District.
Gene Nelson, Ph.D. CGNP Legal Assistant
Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Inc. (CGNP)
1375 East Grand Ave Ste 103 #523
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420-2421
(805) 363 - 4697 cell
Government@CGNP.org email
http://CGNP.org website
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