HALT the SB 846 Bill for the taxpayers & ratepayers of CA That Keeps Diablo Canyon

8/30/22 Tuesday Oakland Press Conference-HALT the SB 846 Bill for the taxpayers and ratepayers of California That Keeps Diablo Canyon Open!

What: Press Conference At Senator Nancy Skinner’s Oakland Office To Oppose SB 846 To Provide $14. Billion To PG&E To Keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Open

When: Tuesday August 30th at 10AM

Where: Oakland State Building 1515 Clay St. Oakland

8/30/22 Tuesday Emergency Press Conference to STOP The Re-Opening Of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday August 30th at 10AM
Oakland State Building 1515 Clay St. Oakland

Governor Newsom is has made secret deal with PG&E and the nuclear industry to re-open the Diablo Nuclear Power Plant which is located on an earthquake fault and give these PG&E criminal executives a a $1.4 billion tax payer gift that will give them billions of dollars in profit.
They are pushing through this bill in the legiislature SB846 without any hearings in subcommittees and it was only printed last night. This is a sneak attack on the people of California to make the ratepayer pay twice for Diablo Canyon since were are already paying for itt’s decoomiission.
Senator Nancy Skiinner can stop the bill because of her power in the legislature as committee chair of but we have to put the heat on her.
Chair, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review
Chair, Joint Legislative Budget Committee
Member, Senate Environmental Quality
Member, Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies

There will be a press conference with California labor and environmental groups on Tuesday August 30th at 10AM in front of her office at the
Oakland State Building at 1515 Clay St
Please attend and let your friends know.
We cannot afford another Fukushima in California
You can also call her office at 510-286-1333 or (916) 651-4009 and oppose her allowinng a vote to keep this broken nuclear plant open with $1.4 billion dollars of our tax money.
This should be going for solarzatiion and not a dangerous nuclear plant on our coast.
Also call other CA Assembly Members and Senators includng Chiu, Ting, Weiner in SF and Bonta in Alameda to STOP this rip-off of the people of California.

No Nukes Actiion Committee
For more information call
http://nonukesaction.wordpress.com/


No, California doesn’t need Diablo Canyon to keep the lights on
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/California-Diablo-Canyon-nuclear-power-17396392.php
Amory Lovins and Ed Smeloff
Aug. 25, 2022
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open for 10 years beyond their planned closure.
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open for 10 years beyond their planned closure.
Michael Mariant/Associated Press 2008
Under the past three governors, California has worked on mapping out a clear pathway to zeroing out greenhouse gases in the world’s fifth largest economy. Meeting this ambitious goal in a way that does not jeopardize electric reliability while maintaining reasonable costs across California’s economy has been the work of energy planners and economists both inside and outside of state government for the past 15 years.
But a hasty push from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office to extend the operations of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant may jeopardize years of planning and add huge costs and risks.
In 2016, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. put forward a plan to the California Public Utilities Commission to retire the two Diablo Canyon nuclear reactors at the expiration of their operating licenses in 2024 and 2025. The plan was devised in a very deliberate and analytical way, involving diverse stakeholders — including a nearly unanimous state Legislature just four years ago.
The plan anticipated that with nearly a 10-year runway, the state would be able to develop new power resources that would carry California forward into a more sustainable future.
California has made good progress in building new clean reliable power sources. During the heat wave last week, for example, the California Independent System Operator, which manages the operation of the state’s transmission system, dispatched over 2,800 megawatts of battery-stored power. That was 25% more than the 2,256-megawatt maximum capability of the Diablo Canyon reactors. California’s utilities and other energy providers are now entering into contracts to add 10,000 more megawatts of battery storage to the grid by summer of 2025. If California follows through on its commitments, the Diablo Canyon plant will not be needed to ensure Californians reliable power beyond 2025.
But beyond not being needed for reliability, the continued use of the plant poses another issue: It will get in the way of the efficient overall operation of the regional power grid. The plant lacks the ability to meet the fluctuating power requirements of the state at any given moment. That’s not true with battery-stored power, which can be raised and lowered as needed. Diablo Canyon can’t do that; its energy output must be used the instant it is generated.
The state’s solar power plants already produce seven times as much electricity as Diablo Canyon during the midday, according to the California Energy Commission. That amount could grow to as much as 15 times by the end of the decade to keep California on its zero-carbon target.
Maintaining the operation of an inflexible nuclear power plant when there is abundant solar and wind energy creates an energy redundancy. Most likely it means that the solar and wind energy will be wasted, since the nuclear power plant is not capable of ramping up or down quickly. The result: a big waste of taxpayer dollars and a less competitive California economy.
Extending the operating license of a nuclear power plant is a complex process that typically begins at least five years before its expiration date. Documenting the necessary improvements at the plant will likely require millions of hours of work by PG&E employees and consultants — which is the reason the governor is asking the Legislature to authorize a $1.4 billion forgivable loan during the last week of the legislative session.
Given that there was no plan in place to extend the operation of the plant, it is certainly possible that these funds could all be spent only to discover that the plant has significant flaws that either prevent the operating license from being extended or require substantial additional capital expenditures.
Rather than putting so many eggs in one fragile basket, California should focus on further developing its diverse portfolio of proven, low-cost resources focused on renewables and on efficient and timely use of electricity. Because these resources cost less and last far longer than running Diablo Canyon, they will avoid more carbon emissions with greater certainty. The California Assembly is on the right track in putting together a package of incentives that focuses on the long-term future while meeting shorter-term needs.
The vast amount of taxpayer money proposed for the Diablo Canyon extension very likely could be put at risk by events outside California’s control. Moreover, the sudden decision to rely on the nuclear plant for another 10 years will upset all of the careful planning done by the California Public Utilities Commission in its complex integrated resource modeling and by the California Independent System Operator in its transmission reliability studies. Years of work by these agencies would have to start anew. No state agency requested Diablo Canyon extension. No utility proposed it — not even its owner, PG&E, in its June 2022 plan. The wise course is to keep calm and carry on.
Two California utilities, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and Southern California Edison, shut down nuclear power plants before the end of their operating licenses because of increasing costs and diminishing performance. Neither utility has had any regrets. Instead, the decision to close these facilities opened up new possibilities that have benefited their customers and the economy.
All major decisions have opportunity costs. Choosing one path closes off others. But one thing is certain: Hastily reversing Diablo Canyon’s closure without any significant analysis or public oversight is a costly recipe for regret.

Physicist Amory Lovins is an adjunct professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford and has advised major firms and governments. Ed Smeloff has worked in the energy industry for 25 years, including as a board member of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

California can’t count on Diablo Canyon’s nuclear power, so it should spend now on renewables

California can’t count on Diablo Canyon’s nuclear power, so it should spend now on renewables

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-08-24/diablo-canyon-renewables


An alternative proposal by members of the state Assembly would put $1.4 billion toward renewable energy, transmission and storage in lieu of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to allow the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to keep operating until 2035.(Joe Johnston / San Luis Obispo Tribune)
BY THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD
AUG. 24, 2022 5 AM PT
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to extend the life of California’s last remaining nuclear plant has become a major point of contention in negotiations with state lawmakers as the legislative session enters its final days.
But a counterproposal from members of the state Assembly offers another path to avoid power outages. Their plan would allow the Diablo Canyon plant on the Central Coast to retire in 2025 as scheduled and spend at least $1.4 billion — the same amount Newsom wants to give Pacific Gas & Electric to keep the plant operating through 2035 — on renewable power instead.
That money would be used to accelerate renewable energy, transmission and storage projects, reduce permitting delays for solar, wind and geothermal developments and support programs that pay consumers to use less power on hot summer evenings when the grid is at highest risk for outages. These are common-sense measures to bolster the electrical grid, and they should be taken regardless of whether Newsom’s proposal to keep Diablo Canyon open another decade moves forward.
Unlike Newsom’s plan, this alternative does not depend on a single aging plant that has been operating since 1985 and sits near several earthquake fault lines. It relies instead on a diverse array of clean energy sources that are less expensive, per kilowatt-hour, and don’t pose the safety and environmental hazards of nuclear power. They are the same renewable resources California needs anyway to meet its climate targets, reduce health-damaging air pollution and avoid catastrophic heating of the planet. Reaching the state’s goal of 100% renewable and zero-carbon electricity sales by 2045 will require building wind and solar power at roughly triple today’s rates, according to a report last year by state agencies.
Proponents of extending the life of Diablo Canyon argue that having 2,240 megawatts of carbon-free electricity available around the clock for a few more years would provide a buffer against blackouts while the state gets more renewable power and storage up and running. State officials have been scrambling to address concerns that extreme heat, drought, wildfires and supply chain shortages will result in power outages in the coming years, particularly during hot evenings in August and September when solar generation drops off but demand for electricity soars.
But the plan to reverse course and keep running Diablo Canyon is full of risks and obstacles and dependent on decisions and agencies outside state lawmakers’ control. Which is why the administration’s dismissive attitude toward Assembly members’ alternative plan — which a governor’s spokesman likened to “fantasy and fairy dust”— is concerning.
The governor still hasn’t made the case that keeping Diablo Canyon open will avert more environmental risks than it prolongs. Nor does his plan address the full costs to the environment and to ratepayers, the extent of the maintenance and seismic retrofits needed to ensure the plant can operate safely, and whether the extension will reduce the urgency to deploy renewable energy. Those are real concerns that can’t be glossed over. Though Newsom’s plan would exempt Diablo Canyon from environmental reviews and other requirements, there are no guarantees that the plant will be able to secure the funding and permit approvals and overcome legal challenges to keep operating past 2025. So, for now, state officials need to proceed as if the plant will shut down on schedule.
The governor’s office has presented the Diablo Canyon legislation as something of a sixth pillar to his five-part climate proposal, another last-minute push that nonetheless would advance bold and meaningful actions to confront the climate crisis. But it would be terrible if those vital climate measures are scuttled as Diablo Canyon consumes the time and attention of lawmakers in the final days before the legislative session ends on Aug. 31.
The governor’s office argues it is moving fast because it doesn’t want to miss a September deadline to be considered for $6 billion in federal funds to help save nuclear plants facing closure. But ramming this through late in the session prevents the type of public scrutiny and transparency that could increase environmental and financial protections.
Ensuring a reliable power grid is going to be crucial to the success of the state’s climate programs. Because when the lights go out during a heat wave it doesn’t only erode confidence in California’s transition from fossil fuels, it poses an immediate threat to people’s lives. To reach its greenhouse gas targets, California will need to electrify much of the economy, and state officials expect that will increase power consumption by as much as 68% by 2045.
Whether Diablo Canyon has three more years of life or 13, it is ultimately a stopgap, and no substitute for broader efforts to quickly build clean and affordable energy and storage to power zero-emission cars, homes and buildings needed to fight climate change. Lawmakers have a chance to further those goals with or without nuclear power, and they should act now.


Tell your legislators to Reject Newsom's Monster Nuclear Bailout!

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/reject-newsoms-monster-nuclear-bailout?source=direct_link&


Save Diablo? Hell no. Please send a letter to your California legislators and tell them to vote no on any legislation to extend the lifetime of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. Californians deserve better than unsafe, unreliable, dirty energy. Newsom’s nuclear bailout upends the energy resource development needed to meet California’s clean energy and climate goals while conning ratepayers and taxpayers for billions of dollars of wasted and misdirected investment in nuclear energy. The proposed letter to legislators includes several of the most important arguments against extending the planned closure of Diablo Canyon. For more information, see the links below.

Proposed Legislation:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/15/california-lawmakers-float-legislation-to-keep-last-nuclear-plant-open.html

https://cacommunityenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/082422-Bill-language-update-rn2220481_distprint.pdf69.pdf

Analysis:

https://cacommunityenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Veium-Freehling-Pathway-to-a-Clean-and-Reliable-Grid-without-Diablo-Canyon-220824-1.pdf

https://cacommunityenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Severence-LetsBeReasonableAboutNuclear_8-2022-1.pdf

Relevant Articles:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/California-Diablo-Canyon-nuclear-power-17396392.php

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/nuclear/should-california-keep-its-last-nuclear-plant-open-the-battle-is-back?utm_campaign=canary&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=222903383&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TkNGxasXStxspQrCG2yBUar05UQB_a1DkUpUy_NTctJko9ISJMVsbpXet9Aw--4RdeUpXuXGimFTVHBxXpf7HOG7Rgg&utm_source=newsletter

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-08-16/diablo-canyon-nuclear-plant-should-be-shut-down

https://calmatters.org/commentary/2022/07/the-diablo-canyon-power-plant-wont-stop-power-outages/



Critical Issues:
The state legislature doesn’t need to act immediately on Diablo; rather SB846 is a bad faith deal intended to be forced on Californians secretly at the literal midnight hour end of the legislative session (Wednesday August 31)
An existing agreement was negotiated by all major interested parties and written into law as SB1090
The operator of Diablo (PG&E) should not be trusted: it is a convicted felon that went bankrupt because of its disastrous safety record
Diablo Canyon’s poorly maintained reactors are unreliable with 40% down days every year (for one or both reactors).
To prevent blackouts (and their tremendous economic cost) due to unreliability, 1 GW of battery is already coming online to cover both peak hours and downtime of power plants; nuclear is NOT necessary (or useful)
GAME CHANGER MEANS EXTENDING DIABLO ISN’T NECESSARY: The Federal Inflation Reduction Act provides distributed renewables not only $50B in direct manufacturing subsidies and ~$200B in renewables supply, but nearly limitless funding (anybody who needs tax deductions from anybody who buys solar/wind/battery—we could literally pay zero federal tax for the next 10 years, and to show for it, have a clean energy foundation and to power all other priorities and revenue sources)
Rooftop solar *by itself* (not counting other renewables, distributed or otherwise) generates *more* power than Diablo (by 20-40% statewide) *and* supports more good paying jobs
1500 Workers at Diablo, 70,000 Distributed Renewables workers statewide
Rooftop solar gets cut off when rolling blackouts happen, and is not even paid its fair share for its contribution to the grid
Per former CPUC president (Loretta Lynch): ISO prioritizes exports to other states for profit rather than California Ratepayers for reliability
A massive offshore wind project is scheduled to come online at the same time as the Diablo license expires, replacing (100$
dirty mining != clean energy
 (other ways nuclear isn’t clean)
Nuclear energy is not “clean”. Keeping the unreliable Diablo Canyon reactors running will continue to slow conversion to reliable renewable resources.
Diablo Canyon was partly responsible for the August 2020 rolling blackouts. Both reactors were operating at the time of the blackouts. However, CASIO couldn't count on the reactors because of their history of one or both of the reactors being down an average of 40% of the days in every year, either for planned or unplanned outages.
PG&E continues to mismanage these aging reactors. For example, one of the ocean cooling pumps was corroded, but PG&E didn't replace it. This eventually resulted in an emergency shutdown of the plant.
One of the Diablo Canyon unplanned outages cost us $173 million to buy power on the expensive retail market. Now Newsom wants ratepayers to pay for Diablo downtime instead of PG&E
Another example of mismanagement: the feedwater pumps are aging and are not designed to be replaced. When they fail, PG&E tries to patch them up. This has caused numerous shutdowns over the years.
This rush to extend licensing period was pushed by non-registered lobbyists
Some “environmental experts” covered in the media are utility managers (one was PG&E CEO)
Now Governor Newsom wants to give PG&E these gifts in SB846 -- to be voted on Wednesday!!
3 times the normal amount of money to keep Diablo running.
Eliminate PG&E liability cost for shutdowns
Make all ratepayers who are in CCA's, SDG&E, SCE, PG&E pay for Diablo Canyon in their electric bills.
Bankrupt CCA's by forcing them to pay for Diablo Canyon.
Force all the ratepayers to pay for all the deferred upgrades needed to license Diablo Canyon. PG&E refuses to disclose the amount.

Safety and ratepayer and environmental protections are completely stripped out
All the benefits are to the corporations, all the harms are externalized
PG&E is demanding an Open checkbook – Repairs and upgrades needed to renew license can be in the multiple $billions. Governor Newsom, as their champion, simply wants to raise our electric rates
In summary: is PG&E freaking out about competition, making a desperate grab to save $3.3B in profits on a stranded monolith asset
CalPERS official position (as stated in the committee hearing on Friday) is: opposed to the extension of Diablo's license
CCA’s will be paying for Diable Canyon and may likely bankrupt them.
CAISO, CEC and CPUC reports state we don’t need Diablo Canyon for reliability. We won’t have blackouts without Diablo. Governor Newsom has provided no evidence.
Threat To The Development of Adequate Clean Energy in California