Are these Nuclear Power Plants a safe distance from California's population centers? We think not. Click on either of the aerial views below to see the Plant in a Google Maps window. From there you can pan around the area, zoom out to see a larger area, and select the Map view, to see the names of roads and cities.

You will notice that SONGS is very close to the 101 freeway and not far from San Clemente, to the North. DCNPP, though hidden by the Irish hills is near Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, and the five cities area to the south. In the case of a discharge from either plant, prevailing winds would blow any discharge towards populated areas. And we should bear in mind that over a thousand miles from the source, the effects of Chernobyl are still being felt since the massive radioactive release starting on April 26th 1986. In Chernobyl there are still major long-term containment issues to be addressed.

What is also apparent from these maps is that detailed information is available publicly for anyone planning an aerial or ground attack on these plants. While the industry will have us believe the 3 feet concrete containment vessels keep the dangerous radiation in, the fact is that there are many vulnerable areas at these plants. Not least of these are the spent fuel pools, that the NAS agrees are a grave safety concern.