I attended the July 11 California Coastal Commission meeting to support the Mothers for Peace request for a hearing on relicensing the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. The aging plant and its radioactive waste sit atop a thrust earthquake fault. PG&E has been granted a five-year extension but is now asking for 20 more, saying five isn’t enough time to build solar and wind replacements. (Note, the current article in The Atlantic on China’s rapid surge past the U.S. in clean, really clean, energy!)
I am dismayed at the number of speakers who cited loss of jobs and tax revenue if the plant closes. Several do work there, but most disappointingly, SLO County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding added his endorsement. I was dismayed at myself for not having submitted a speaker’s slip, as I thought of parallels with Texas’ “flash flood alley,” where officials ignored calls for an alarm system as too expensive and, anyway, a 100-year torrent won’t happen again.
The unimaginable happens. Can we picture the gridlock on Highways 1 and 101 if we did get timely warning from our sirens? Mothers for Peace has demanded accountability since before Diablo was built, forcing PG&E to rectify some issues. Many more at least deserve a hearing.
Rosemary Wilvert
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Jul 17-27, 2025.
I live less than 10 miles downwind of Diablo Canyon. When we moved into our house, we discovered a packet of the iodine pills that PG&E make available to area residents for use in the event of a radiation release. I am well aware of the “unimaginable”.
Still, I like to live in a warm house during the winter, and to have lights and appliances. So do all of my neighbors. This requires electricity, and currently Diablo Canyon supplies is around 9% of the state’s supply, and does it 24/7 regardless of sunshine or wind. Until we have the technology to provide constant and sufficient electricity from renewable sources, we are stuck with it.