As we still smart from the unwise shuttering of Rancho Seco, public leadership moves to reopen the discussion about nuclear power in California.
Nuclear power back in spotlight
By Dean Calbreath
STAFF WRITER
December 11, 2007
Spurred by concerns about global warming, a state Senate committee launched an inquiry yesterday into the potential of using nuclear power as a clean energy source.
Yesterday's special session in San Diego was the first time in two decades that the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications held hearings on nuclear power, said Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, the panel's chairwoman.
The key question facing the committee was whether nuclear power could help the state meet its goal of slashing greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2050.
“Before we talk about changing state policies, we want to find out what's going on in the world,” Kehoe said. “We haven't heard any information on nuclear power in 20 years.”
Nuclear power lost favor with the public after the Three Mile Island accident of 1979 and the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that the radioactive fallout from Chernobyl will ultimately cause 4,000 deaths, although some environmental groups believe that tens of thousands more will die.
Fears of an accident similar to Chernobyl led to a freeze on construction of nuclear power plants in this country. The last nuclear plant built in California was Diablo Canyon Plant 2, which went into service near San Luis Obispo in 1985.
But nuclear power has been enjoying a comeback lately, since it creates far less pollution than power plants fueled by oil, gas or coal. Two months ago, NRG Energy filed an application to build two nuclear units in Texas. It was the first application filed since the Chernobyl disaster.
