Diablo Canyon — California’s last nuclear power plant — is well worth saving | Opinion
Diablo advocate speaks out
“Here’s what PG&E wants you to pay to keep Diablo Canyon open. Is it worth it?” (sanluisobispo.com. Aug. 7, 2024)
Regrettably, your Aug. 7, 2024, editorial continues your pattern of amplifying the voices that oppose Diablo Canyon. What about giving a voice to plant advocates for a change?
Independent nonprofit Californians for Green Nuclear Power (CGNP) is providing testimony in the Diablo Canyon cost proceeding underway before the CPUC.
One of the important provisions of California SB 846 is that any market revenues in excess of the cost to run Diablo Canyon during extended operations will be refunded to ratepayers. CGNP analyzed the market revenues provided to DCPP’s owners and their costs between 2021 to 2023. If the SB 846 rules were applied, California ratepayers would have been entitled to a rebate totaling $1.313 billion.
That’s enough to make a very positive difference for ratepayers. Since the plant will be essentially ineligible for cost recovery during extended operations, costs should diminish. Keep Diablo Canyon running.
Gene Nelson
President, Californians for Green Nuclear Power
Keep Diablo open
“Should Diablo Canyon operate for 20 more years? Here’s where SLO County supervisors stand” (sanluisobispo.com, March 26, 2024)
The facts related to Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant’s (DCPP) energy production, public safety benefits and economic contribution are frequently discussed and commonly known, with the plant producing 9% of the state’s total electrical supply and 17% of the state’s zero-carbon electricity, providing training and monetary contribution to our county’s first responders and contributing a whopping. $800 million to $1.1 billion to our county annually in economic benefit, depending on the study you reference.
However, an aspect long discussed but thus far unrealized is the utilization of the existing desalination facility at DCPP. Whatever the fate of Central Coast Blue or its progeny might be, this potential water supply could enhance our Zone 3 water portfolio, which serves South San Luis Obispo County.
Yes, there are hurdles. The existing planned closure of the plant in 2030 limits the extent of planning and negotiation our county and municipalities could conduct. And although there would be required infrastructure enhancements, the most important (and likely most expensive) piece of infrastructure is already in place: an operating desalination plant.
I urge our state legislators to support an extended timeline for DCPP’s continued operation up to 20 years, consistent with our Board of Supervisors prudent majority vote.
Adam Verdin
Arroyo Grande
League applauds Tribune’s Reality Check
“How a SLO County meeting descended into misinformation — and why it’s dangerous” (sanluisobispo.com, Aug. 1, 2024)
The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County commends The Tribune for publishing “How a SLO County meeting descended into misinformation — and why it’s dangerous.”
This much-needed Reality Check presented the facts on voting in our county — the ballot tabulating machines used, the security measures in place, and the need for extra time to process the vote-by-mail ballots. It must be noted that SLO County voters have overwhelmingly embraced voting by mail with 90% of voters choosing that option even though they can still vote in person if they choose to do so.
The article also described the impact of misinformation on election workers who are intimidated and threatened based on erroneous information and false claims of election fraud. It called out those elected officials who fail to counter misinformation about voting but rather facilitate its spread.
The League’s mission is to empower voters, ensure fair representation and defend democracy. To preserve our democracy we must fight against the disinformation and misinformation that undermines people’s trust in our institutions and encourages apathy or, even worse, conspiracy theories. It’s an uphill battle, but one well worth the fight.
Ann Havlik, Elizabeth Manak
Co-Presidents. League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County
‘White dudes’ column so wrong
“Organizing ‘white dudes’ for Harris - or anyone else: Is that such a great idea?” (sanluisobispo.com, Aug 1 2024)
I don’t recall ever reading an opinion piece by a columnist and editor so inane and retrograde as David Mastio’s screed against the “White Dudes for Harris.” He proceeded from predicting “bad things are going to happen,” calling it “shady” and “taboo,” to maligning the campaign as associated with the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis.
He concluded that we shouldn’t “be taking steps backward now” after nearly “two centuries getting over the racial divide built by white people.”
How did, and do, white people build and maintain the systemic bigotry we contend with today? They smear entire groups of people they define as “others” based on the behavior of individuals or small numbers of them. That’s the definition of prejudice — judging people on the sole basis of their skin color. I’d have thought that someone with Mr. Mastio’s credentials would know that he’s using the same device those he purports to oppose employ. Meanwhile, the “White Dudes” join groups of white women, Black women and men, Latinas, South Asian women and men, Black Muslims, and the Congressional Black, Hispanic and Progressive caucuses, etc. in declaring their support for Harris. Too bad some choose divisiveness when togetherness is so obviously powerful.
David Broadwater
Atascadero
Is climate change to blame for dead sea lions?
“Spike in sick sea lions reported on SLO County beaches” (sanluisobispo.com, July 30)
Earlier this week, I was saddened to see two beautiful but dead sea lions on Pismo Beach. A third was stranded by the water, its head waving back and forth. All were victims of domoic acid poisoning produced by a harmful algal bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia australis.
The Tribune described this well in “Spike in sick sea lions reported on SLO County beaches.” We’ve been seeing an uptick in cases of domoic acid poisoning over the last few decades, with a massive spate of sea mammal fatalities during the oceanic “warm blob” of 2015-2016.
Is climate change to blame? Its fingerprints are all over it. As our coastal waters warm, Pseudo-nitzschia is moving northward. Periods of drought produce an accumulation of nitrogen waste and fertilizer. Intermittent floods wash these nitrogen pollutants into our warm coastal waters, nourishing poisonous blooms of toxic algae and threatening our fisheries and shellfish farms. Ocean scientists call this a “ticking toxic time bomb.” Lest our children lose our beaches to the specter of dead sea lions, let’s transition away from fossil fuels, fight climate change and save our oceans and marine life.
Dr. George Hansen
Arroyo Grande
This story was originally published August 11, 2024 at 7:00 AM.