It’s a vital resource for our future, and in addition to restarting Rancho Seco locally, we need to build more plants in California and the United States.
PG&E chief: Nuclear power an asset
He says it's a part of the arsenal to fight global warming.
By David Whitney - dwhitney@mcclatchydc.com
Published 12:00 am PST Monday, December 17, 2007
WASHINGTON – Peter Darbee, chief executive of PG&E Corp., has been a frequent witness on Capitol Hill supporting legislation to cut pollution linked to global warming.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved legislation Dec. 5 that would cut U.S. emissions from burning fossil fuels by 70 percent of 2005 levels by 2050.
More nuclear power plants will be needed in the United States to reach that ambitious goal, Darbee said in a recent interview.
That includes the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant near San Luis Obispo, which is owned and operated by PG&E's utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The operating license of the first of Diablo Canyon's twin reactors expires in 2021.
California law prohibits construction of new nuclear power plants until the debate over how to store used fuel is resolved.
Q: You have been a leading corporate voice for global warming legislation. What will it mean for PG&E and its customers?
A: California has been on the leading edge of climate change in the United States. Many of the things we see in development in Washington are consistent with the approach California has taken.
