Devin Nunes is right to want more electrical power. But pushing nuclear is a fool’s errand

Before I joined The Fresno Bee in 2013, I worked for more than a decade at The Tribune in San Luis Obispo. While there, I became familiar with Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.

Anyone who lives in San Luis Obispo comes to quickly realize Diablo Canyon’s importance. It is operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which is the area’s largest private employer. The tax base benefits greatly from the plant, meaning the schools were spared many of the cuts that districts elsewhere in California had to make whenever finances got tight.

And SLO residents — as well as those in Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande and other points south — always knew that, at any given moment, an earthquake might happen near the seaside plant and a catastrophic leak of radiation could spew into the air. The plant was built to withstand such shaking, of course. But a key fault lies not far offshore and the worry was always present.

Thankfully, that feared quake has never occurred and the PG&E team has kept the plant operating safely. And in a few more years, the plant is slated to shut down.

But now comes Rep. Devin Nunes and his quest to keep Diablo Canyon operating.

Electricity shortage

The Tulare Republican is alarmed by the fact that Diablo Canyon will close permanently in 2025. He recently told Fox Business that, with California’s tight energy situation and potential for rolling blackouts in a hot summer, the state needs Diablo Canyon’s energy well into the future.

Of course, being Devin Nunes, he engaged his stock in trade — blasting Democrats — in his explanation:

“At the same time they (Democrats) are worshipping the global warming gods by shutting down clean nuclear reactors, while China is building nuclear reactors, while Russia is building nuclear reactors, we are having brown-outs.”

Let’s deconstruct that sound bite. First, shutting down nuclear power hasn’t happened yet. Diablo Canyon will operate for several more years.

Second, rolling blackouts have occurred despite Diablo Canyon being online, which means something else was the cause — such as record-breaking heat waves that have broiled the state and the West this summer and caused high energy demand. Third, the drought has depleted California’s rivers, which means they are not providing as much hydroelectric power as usual.

But the concern Nunes raises is valid. Diablo Canyon provides about 9% of California’s total electricity. When it shuts down, state officials expect renewable energy and electricity storage systems to replace the plant’s output. A study earlier this year by the Union of Concerned Scientists, however, found that California needs to become much more urgent about getting those power systems in place.

GOP support

Nunes’ bill is called HR 4394 and it carries this title: “To ensure the continued operation of Diablo Canyon power plant, and for other purposes.” It was introduced July 9, and was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The text of the bill has yet to be put online. But all 10 of Nunes’ GOP colleagues from California are co-sponsors.

The bill is good political cover. The 11 Republicans can tell their constituents that they were working to head off any future power shortages.

But there’s certain realities that doom the measure. First is the simple math of the House: there are 220 Democrats to 211 Republicans. On party-line voting, Nunes’ bill will not advance.

Then there is the “global warming gods” aspect of politics in California. The state has long been an environmental leader, and has set ambitious clean-energy goals as it addresses climate change. Nuclear power, while not emitting carbon pollutants that contribute to global warming, has major problems with the radioactive waste that is generated.

Diablo Canyon is California’s only nuclear plant still operating, and will be the last.

Then there are the local factors of where Diablo Canyon is situated. Besides the quake concerns, state water resource officials have just closed a $6 million case against PG&E over its discharge of heated water into the cove below the plant. The plant sucks in copious amount of cold ocean water to produce steam for power generation. That heated water then gets sent back into the ocean. Marine life is killed in the process.

Any attempt by the federal government to keep Diablo Canyon operating longer would likely be met by lawsuits from state and local officials as well as environmentalists.

Nunes seemingly was silent on Diablo Canyon’s importance in 2016, when PG&E announced it would not extend operations.

And rather than offer a Johnnie-come-lately measure now, it would be better for the congressman to secure funding for solar and wind farms and power storage systems. If he really wants to keep the lights on in his 22nd District — in Visalia, Clovis and much of Fresno — renewable energy, not nuclear power, is the way forward.

This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Devin Nunes is right to want more electrical power. But pushing nuclear is a fool’s errand."