Several 500-megawatt solar farms are now operating in California. But let’s not be fooled by these large solar megawatt numbers because they are not directly comparable to nuclear plants.
Diablo Canyon, delivers 2,300 megawatts, 91 percent of one year’s time (the capacity factor). Topaz, an existing California 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant has a capacity factor of only 23 percent to 29 percent.
Therefore replacing Diablo Canyon requires 14 500-megawatt solar farms. Solar farms like the Topaz facility take three years to build and cost about $2.4 billion each. Building two a year it would take seven-plus years, 133 square miles of land and cost $33.6 billion. Guess who pays the $33.6 billion!
It would be the height of foolishness to shut down a paid for, reliable nuclear plant which has operated safely for 29 years with no guarantee that alternate carbon-free power is immediately available.
Anthony Armini, Nipomo
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