As we approach the 15th anniversary of the triple meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, local residents should be thinking about what the seemingly inevitable 20-year extension of Diablo Canyon operations means to us.
An estimated 20,000 workers at the Fukushima plant were potentially exposed to radiation, more than 164,000 residents were evacuated, and more than 40,000 were still displaced 10 years after the accident. Elevated levels of cesium-137 persist in soil, trees, water, and wildlife. Citizens will bear the costs, through taxes, utility bills, and health care.
Locally, we have not heard definitive answers to serious safety questions about Diablo’s ability to withstand earthquakes, functionality of cooling systems in the event of tsunamis, harm to the marine environment with the once-through cooling system. Even more concerning is that there is no long-term solution for the ever-growing amount of nuclear waste. We should all be outraged at the immorality of leaving our children and grandchildren a highly toxic nuclear dump in their backyards.
We’ve seen how nuclear facilities can be used against a nation in the years-long war in Ukraine. Now, with an escalating Middle East crisis, here we are with a nuclear target next to us. Maybe Washington thinks our county is expendable. Do we?
Carole Hisasue
Los Osos
This article appears in March 5-12, 2026.
This is an excellent fact based article, by Carole Hisasue, that outlines that Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant should not have its licenses extended any longer then the originally proposed 2030; not to 2045.
Especially since this current regime has declared war on Iran, making DCNPP an obvious target. Along with the 15th year anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant meltdown. That could be SLO County with this local aging nuclear power plant.
With the aging encasement domes, and Diablo’s proximity to nearby active earthquake faults, DCNPP should be retired in 2030. Then the CPUC can make sure that PG&E disposes of all of the spent nuclear fuel rods responsibly, and clean up the site so that all the nuclear waste is removed, for future generations.Â
I guess Democrats have reconsidered the urgency of addressing climate change, if they support shutting down the carbon-free source of nearly 10% of the state’s power, and replacing it with fossil fuel generated electricity. The next time that Greta Thunberg shrieks “How dare you!”, we’ll direct her question to you.
Hey Mr. Donegan, for all of us in South County living downwind of El Diablo, could you please arrange to relocate the current 3 million pounds of hi level nuclear waste sitting next to the power plant? We all are a bit nervous about it given the new crop of middle Eastern terrorists El Trumpo has created, AI drones, sea level rise, earthquake faults, and its embrittled operating parts. For almost 70 years the nuclear industry and government have failed to create a safe, long term (10,000 years) storage solution for nuclear waste. Nukes aint clean or economic–renewables are and they should be getting the subsidies.
Everyone should watch the movie, “The China Syndrome.” It’s got all the great actors, Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda, Wilford Brimly, and Michael Douglas. It’s a very plausible scenario, ladies and gents.
…Wilford Brimly…RIP