Post nuclear economic crashes around the USA…WHAT WOULD SAN LUIS OBISPO DO?
Since the beginning of 2013, three nuclear power plants around the country have been unexpectedly closed because they were not economically competitive in the energy market, or faced costly repairs. As a result, the communities surrounding these facilities, which had grown to depend on the jobs and tax revenue to fuel their local economies now find themselves facing harsh fiscal realities. A fourth reactor, Vermont Yankee, has announced closing at the end of 2014, and that community has begun a series of post-nuclear workshops to determine a way to remain fiscally solvent after the nuclear plant is gone.
READ THE OP-ED FROM THE ALLIANCE IN THE SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, THEN PREPARE TO ATTEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15:
Cost pressures a threat to Diablo nuclear plant–
San Luis Obispo, with leadership from its Board of Supervisors, is beginning to ask these questions about its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. Issues ranging from the phaseout of once-through-cooling to uncertain and evolving seismic concerns could threaten not only a 20 year relicensing of the plant, but its current ongoing operation.
FROM THE SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE:
County considers future without Diablo Canyon nuclear plant
and….
PG&E decision on Diablo relicensing could hinge on seismic retrofit
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NEEDS TO HEAR THAT AS CONCERNED RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY, YOU WANT THEM TO EXPLORE NOT ONLY THE BENEFITS PROVIDED BY DIABLO CANYON, BUT TO FULLY UNDERTAKE PLANS FOR KEEPING THIS COUNTY PRODUCTIVE, COMPETITIVE AND ECONOMICALLY WHOLE SHOULD THE PLANT NOT BE RELICENSED OR SHUT PREMATURELY. IF THAT HAPPENS….ALLTHE “BENEFITS” BECOME LIABILITIES…
As San Luis Obispo begins to consider life after the atom, here are some stories from around the county to consider how the unplanned closings are affecting those communities.
Crystal River, Florida, the first plant closed in 2013:
020613 Crystal River closure devastates Citrus County-Tampa Bay
Kewaunee reactor, in Wisconsin, was next:
042713 Kewanee adjusts-GreenBay
San Onofre, here in California:
Then, Vermont Yankee announced it would close by the end of 2014:
082713 VT Yankee to Close-Alpha
The residents of neighboring Vernon, Vermont are already holding forums to discuss how their community can survive. Read the transcript of their first town meeting:
The New York Times provides a nationwide view of the situation:
061413 Nukes closing early-Wald-TIMES
