Why we need Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

August 6, 2024

OPINION by ADAM VERDIN

As a South San Luis Obispo County resident and business owner who is interested in public safety, our local economy, water resiliency, and state electrical power capacity, I recently visited Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant for the first time.

I was impressed by their adherence to a culture of safety. My experience as a professional pilot has taught me that safety largely involves methodical compliance to a good process, and training to have the capacity to respond to a variety of situations.

From my first encounter with PG&E staff at the meeting location where we were given a safety briefing that included confirming who has and has not had CPR training, to compliance with the proper use of personal protective equipment, it is clear they are imbued with a safety-forward culture. The plant’s security protocols were visible and formidable, with escalating measures as we approached critical areas of plant operations. I was struck by such details as background checks a week prior to our tour date and guard towers with armed personnel tactically located to provide a clear line of sight to approaches to sensitive areas.

The facility itself is extensive, with its own fire department, control room simulator, environmental team, professional divers, a shooting range and threat simulator utilized by both PG&E security personnel and our own San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office for training. I heard people on the shooting range both at the time of our entrance in the morning and again passing the facility in the afternoon when we departed the plant.

The facts related to Diablo Canyon’s energy production are well known, with the plant producing 9% of the state’s total electrical supply and 17% of the state’s zero-carbon electricity. From a local public safety perspective, the benefits to our county is both substantial and positive, with not only monetary contributions to our county emergency services but also training and supply of emergency equipment to our first responders.

The training component includes first responders working with their partner agencies on the municipal, county, and state levels. This cross-agency training provides for a more integrated emergency disaster response. Both the training and equipment paid for and supplied by PG&E can be used for any emergency purpose in our county by an authorized agency.

From an economic perspective, the plant contributes a whopping $800 million to $1.1 billion to our county annually, depending on the study you reference. Employing approximately 1,300 people and more during an outage, we are lucky to have this economic driver here at a time when our state has experienced some high-profile departures of large businesses.

From a water security perspective, utilization of the existing desalination plant at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to better serve our community represents a unique opportunity, long discussed but thus far unrealized. Whatever the fate of Central Coast Blue or its progeny might be, this potential water supply could enhance our Zone 3 water portfolio, which serves South San Luis Obispo County. Yes, there are hurdles.

The existing planned closure of the plant in 2030 limits the extent of planning our county and municipalities could conduct with PG&E. And of course, there are engineering and infrastructure enhancements required to make this happen. However, the most important (and likely most expensive) piece of infrastructure is already in place: an operating desalination plant.

I commend the Board of Supervisors majority for recently voting yes on a resolution to keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant operating for up to another 20 years. I urge the state legislature and regulatory bodies to increase the operating timeline for DCPP from its current five-year licensure to up to 20 years, providing flexibility in its timeline of operation.

I, for one, view Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant as a valued member of our community, providing clean energy to our state, enhancing our public safety, and as a potential future partner in bolstering our water resiliency.