For the past 40-plus years we have been sitting on a nuclear time bomb. Nature has kindly provided us with a foreseeable future of what is in store for us—Fukushima, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island—and spared us from having to bear witness firsthand to her undeniable superpowers.
These events happened despite all the precautions and preparations by renowned experts of the time. There is no putting the genie back in the bottle. The safest nuclear power is 93 million miles away and spills out as sunshine.
Now is not the time to test the fickle finger of fate and put a sick, dying, decrepit Diablo Canyon Power Plant on life support.
Now is the time to thank our lucky stars that we can close this chapter of our lives with our wits about us and all the time, money, and resources we need to act responsively and with intent for a grand and glorious future for all.
Our option is not to waste precious time and resources on trying to delay the inevitability of certain death by playing chicken with Mother Nature. We know how that ends.
We had plenty of time to prepare for an exit plan and failed to meet that deadline. We are not going to get any more second chances. Odds are against us that an earthquake or some other natural disaster that is out of our control will trigger a catastrophic nuclear holocaust. We live on the San Andreas fault for heaven’s sake. And the ring of fire is on fire. Are earthquakes preventable? Hell no!
So let’s not act like it is never going to happen and instead take this precious time to really do something productive and make plans for a bright future, not a deadly disaster.
It is a fact: We are all aware that Diablo is living on borrowed time and it is just a matter of time before the inevitable happens. Diablo is done. All the experts can attest to that fact.
So let’s do the right thing right now while we still can and come out ahead of the game. We need to honor the decommissioning agreement and put Diablo out of its misery. Right now. RIP.
Now let’s take all the money, resources, $1.4 billion-plus that we would need to keep Diablo on life support and invest it in our future instead.
An “accident” at Diablo is going to set us back generations. Laying it to rest is going to give us a new lease on life for generations to come.
We trust you, Gov. Newsom, and are putting our lives and livelihoods in your hands. We want to live in peace and harmony with our environment and not in constant fear of a nuclear “accident” that no one is going to be able to prevent, fix, or recover from.
What does peace of mind cost? Please invest in that. We are worth it. You can trust us. Δ
Jeanne Blackwell wrote to New Times from San Luis Obispo. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Sep 1-11, 2022.
Whatever happened to the climate change crisis? For years we have been hearing about the existential threat to humanity created by our use of fossil fuel, yet neither this writer nor the letter writers in this paper, have addressed the fact that Diablo Canyon generates nearly 10% of the state’s electrical power that will have to be replaced with power generated by fossil fuel. At the moment we are headed into a severe heat wave, and facing brownouts. People with electric cars are being told they can not charge their electric cars – how are they supposed to get around? How will we manage with 10% LESS power?
Have the climate change activists been exaggerating? Are Greta Thunberg’s hysterics just political theater? Who are the real climate change deniers?
“People with electric cars are being told they can not charge their electric cars”
Nobody is saying that. The advisory asked Californians from refraining from over using appliances, cranking up a/c and charging Ev’s BETWEEN the hours of 4 pm and 10 pm. Quit spreading misinformation.
I suggest that if you don’t believe the burning of fossil fuels is the main cause of current warming, then you should read any of the recent books by Michael Mann. The Madhouse Effect is a good place to start. Educate yourself on the topic. Don’t just take Fox News’ word on the matter.
Likewise, of course, you might read up on current climate denialism. Books such as Red Hot Lies by Christopher Horner, Shattered Consensus by Patrick Michaels of the CATO Institute, or Unstoppable Global Warming by Fred Singer of the Science and Environmental Policy Project are good places to start.
I’m sure that once you’ve studied the issue, you will gladly admit that Greta Thunberg is most certainly not practicing “political theater.”
Happy reading!
I am not denying climate change, just pointing out that you anti-nuclear types apparently are. The power lost from closing Diablo Canyon will have to be replaced by fossil fuel generated power, which will generate greenhouse gases and worsen climate change. None of the anti-nuclear types have offered any kind of alternative to replace the power, so it seems like you all have decided that the risk from nuclear power is worse than what you say is the certain disaster of climate change. Since you are opting for “certain disaster” over enduring the risk of nuclear power, I can only conclude that your view of climate change is not nearly as dire as you have been saying. So who’s the denier now?
“None of the anti-nuclear types have offered any kind of alternative to replace the power”
Wrong again. In 1978 Jimmy Carter, a nuclear reactor trained engineer, who knew that nuclear was dangerous and that the nation needed to move toward more stable renewable energy, placed solar panels on the White House roof. When Reagan (I’m sure he’s your hero) took office, he pulled those panels in a sign that oil was the way to go.
It was a horrendous mistake, as we see now. Had we listened to Carter we would be much further along with solar and wind. Instead of issuing hundreds of permits for offshore drilling and giving the oil industry billions of dollars in subsidies, we would have created more offshore wind farms and solar farms like the one at stateline near Primm, Nevada.
Unfortunately, Mr. Donegan, money talks and the oil industry spends it on politicians.
Governor Newsom is a pragmatist and he realizes we need Diablo for at least another few years. Kudos to him for doing what is right.
I realize your entire goal, Mr.Donegan, is to somehow “own the libs” and point out their foibles.
I totally agree that Diablo is a case of the governor doing an about face. Politicians face tough choices. I, too have grudgingly come to accept Diablo’s existence, because I know we need a rapid deployment of EV technology in the next 13 years.
I would, however, point out that your side is not without a series of contradictions as well.
For example, law enforcement. On one hand, conservatives want full funding for police to keep the poor and people of color in check. They secretly applaud Derek Chauvin or the officers who enabled Kyle Rittenhouse. But when it comes to courts punishing those who stormed the capital and killed police, they are either mute or are like Trump, who pledges to pardon these murderers and insurrectionists. Likewise, Mr. Trump himself who demonizes FBI agents as rogue left-wing vigilantes out to get him and put him in harm’s way.
Another example: abortion. In the nation’s poorest states, conservatives will criminalize abortion for the very poorest citizens, but at the same time will deny them health care or adequate public schools. In Mississippi, a long line of Republicans have driven the state into the ground, so much so that the black residents of Jackson lack potable water. Nevertheless, these politicians will force a poor woman to bring a baby into a world of poverty and despair.
And what about Biden’s recent executive order to forgive $10k of student debt. Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor Greene called foul, even though her small business had taken a six-digit bailout during the COVID crisis.
So, go ahead, own the libs Mr. Donegan. Must make you feel good.
It makes me “feel good” to get you to recognize the inherent contradiction between your prior opposition to keeping Diablo Canyon open, and fighting climate change. Perhaps the other anti-nuclear liberals will also have a flash of pragmatism as well. Of course, none of this has anything to do with law enforcement, abortion or student debt.
Yep, Mr. Donegan, you owned me. Put another liberal pelt in your trophy case.
I am looking looking for a political taxidermist to prepare your liberal pelt for display in my trophy room.