Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (San Francisco, Sacramento: real estate, felons, homes)

[PacoMartin]

In 2016, PG&E announced that it plans to close the two Diablo Canyon reactors in 2024 and 2025, stating that because California's energy regulations give renewables priority over nuclear, the plant would likely only run half-time, making it uneconomical.

Unit Two is a 1118 MWe pressurized water reactor supplied by Westinghouse. It went online on March 3, 1986, and is licensed to operate through August 20, 2025. Unit One is a 1138 MWe pressurized water reactor supplied by Westinghouse. It went online on May 7, 1985, and is licensed to operate through November 2, 2024. Diablo Canyon is the largest electrical generation plant in California. It is between 3 and 4 times as productive as the Moss Landing Power Plant using Natural Gas and the Geysers plants north of San Francisco using Geothermal Energy.

In 2020 California generated
8.6% of it's electricity from Diablo Canyon
7.1% of it's electricity from over 100 plants using wind generation

In 2020, experts at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) warned that when the plant closes the state will reach a "critical inflection point", which will create a significant challenge to ensure reliability of the grid without resorting to more fossil fuel usage, and could jeopardize California's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Do you agree? Should CA expect an electricity shortage just as it is ramping up electric vehicles?

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by PacoMartin

In 2016, PG&E announced that it plans to close the two Diablo Canyon reactors in 2024 and 2025, stating that because California's energy regulations give renewables priority over nuclear, the plant would likely only run half-time, making it uneconomical.

Unit Two is a 1118 MWe pressurized water reactor supplied by Westinghouse. It went online on March 3, 1986, and is licensed to operate through August 20, 2025. Unit One is a 1138 MWe pressurized water reactor supplied by Westinghouse. It went online on May 7, 1985, and is licensed to operate through November 2, 2024. Diablo Canyon is the largest electrical generation plant in California. It is between 3 and 4 times as productive as the Moss Landing Power Plant using Natural Gas and the Geysers plants north of San Francisco using Geothermal Energy.

In 2020 California generated
8.6% of it's electricity from Diablo Canyon
7.1% of it's electricity from over 100 plants using wind generation

In 2020, experts at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) warned that when the plant closes the state will reach a "critical inflection point", which will create a significant challenge to ensure reliability of the grid without resorting to more fossil fuel usage, and could jeopardize California's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Do you agree? Should CA expect an electricity shortage just as it is ramping up electric vehicles?

No I don't think they should close it until they have an alternative that produces as much power. Especially not with a mandate to go all electric vehicle by 2035.

[evening sun]

PGE are insane. As well as convicted corporate felons. They already can't keep the power on all the time, so shutting down plants is insanity.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by evening sun

PGE are insane. As well as convicted corporate felons. They already can't keep the power on all the time, so shutting down plants is insanity.

Electric rates around California had already skyrocketed and most doubled on average(dynamic tiers make it hard to determine current market rates) ever since SONGs shut down and the fires that drove up the big power company's liability. There is also the need to import power from other states when demand is high. I can imagine it doubling from current already expensive rates should Diablo Canyon also gets shut down. So many electric cars still need to be charged. They cannot be charged during those public safety shutdowns except in areas that still have power. Many charging stations already charge 35c a kilowatt hour. People who stay in the state should brace for paying 60c a kilowatt hour most basic rates in 2025. Or otherwise get solar, wind generators with a backup battery.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Electric rates around California had already skyrocketed and most doubled on average(dynamic tiers make it hard to determine current market rates) ever since SONGs shut down and the fires that drove up the big power company's liability. There is also the need to import power from other states when demand is high. I can imagine it doubling from current already expensive rates should Diablo Canyon also gets shut down. So many electric cars still need to be charged. They cannot be charged during those public safety shutdowns except in areas that still have power. Many charging stations already charge 35c a kilowatt hour. People who stay in the state should brace for paying 60c a kilowatt hour most basic rates in 2025. Or otherwise get solar, wind generators with a backup battery.

Maybe that is Sacramento's secret plan....? Make electricity so expensive that everyone gets solar and solves the power problems for them. Because I cannot figure out why they would just move forward with some mandates without a plan.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by stablegenius

Maybe that is Sacramento's secret plan....? Make electricity so expensive that everyone gets solar and solves the power problems for them. Because I cannot figure out why they would just move forward with some mandates without a plan.

Unfortunately without means to store the power, unless there are battery packs that store every kilowatt generated we will ultimately rely on generated power to get us over sunset to sunrise as well as gloomy days and short winter days. Thus its either nuclear, Hydroelectric, wind, or fossil fuels or importing power generated from such to cover such situations.

Having said that I be curious how many deals or back up battries are available in California for those who have solar or wind in their homes but no backup battery? Those people may spin their meter backwards however they still add demand to light their homes after sundown which would require gird power.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Unfortunately without means to store the power, unless there are battery packs that store every kilowatt generated we will ultimately rely on generated power to get us over sunset to sunrise as well as gloomy days and short winter days. Thus its either nuclear, Hydroelectric, wind, or fossil fuels or importing power generated from such to cover such situations.

Having said that I be curious how many deals or back up battries are available in California for those who have solar or wind in their homes but no backup battery? Those people may spin their meter backwards however they still add demand to light their homes after sundown which would require gird power.

great point

[joosoon]

When I was in middle school, I did a report on nuclear power. This was right on the heels of the Three Mile Island accident so it was a hot topic at the moment. For the report, San Onofre sent me a huge packet of propaganda promoting nuclear as clean and safe. One of the items I remember in this PR kit was a postcard with a marble sized pellet blister packed onto it, representing the tiny amount of waste generated by the plant for X-amount of operation. Years later, they can't figure out what to do with the waste and can't safely move it offsite. That's a huge problem for the industry. I'm not opposed to nukes, but we're now paying for a lack of planning just as decommissioning power plants in California without replacements will do the same. It's a conundrum.


On a side note, thinking of that little pellet of simulated nuclear waste which SONGs sent me, there's this incident in Brazil a few decades ago. Even though the source material was from a radiology lab, not a power plant, and ignorance was the main culprit, it shows how little radioactive material it takes to make an area uninhabitable and kill people.

[ccm123]

I’m hoping it will not get shut down. Not only will it cause a possible electricity shortage, Diablo Canyon is one of San Luis Obispo County’s largest employers.

I have visited DCNPP several times as I represented a company that sold communications gear to them. Beautiful site, located in Avila Beach, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, which is prime real estate. Heavily secured by armed security and the facility entry process is very thorough.

[PacoMartin]

In California: Diabo Canyon nuclear power plant
Unit 1 went online on May 7, 1985, and is licensed to operate through November 2, 2024.
Unit 2 went online on March 3, 1986, and is licensed to operate through August 20, 2025.

In Arizona: Palo Verde nuclear power plant
Unit 1 went online on 28 January 1986
Unit 2 went online on 19 September 1986
Unit 3: went online on 8 January 1988
On April 21, 2011, the NRC renewed the operating licenses for Palo Verde's three reactors, extending their service lives from forty to sixty years.

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

There is also the need to import power from other states when demand is high. I can imagine it doubling from current already expensive rates should Diablo Canyon also gets shut down.

California already needs to import more electricity to meet demand than any other state in the union. What is actually surprising is that California uses less kWh per customer than almost any other state in the union. Looking at the states that compromise the Western interconnect we see that California uses the least amount of kWh per customer, but pays by far the highest price for those kWh. Of course, EVs will almost certainly increase the use in California, and who knows what will happen to prices.

Avg kWh/month/customer - State name- cents/kWh in the Western Interconnect

• 639 California 16.89 ¢ per kWh
• 905 Colorado 10.17 ¢
• 1,034 New Mexico 8.99 ¢
• 1,068 Utah 8.24 ¢
• 1,237 Oregon 8.81 ¢
• 1,242 Montana 9.02 ¢
• 1,281 Washington 8.04 ¢
• 1,383 Wyoming 8.10 ¢
• 1,388 Arizona 10.52 ¢
• 1,401 Nevada 8.78 ¢
• 1,458 Idaho 7.89 ¢

The Western Interconnect cannot export or import electricity from the much larger Easter Interconnect.

While Diablo Canyon is the largest power plant in California of any fuel, Palo Verde in Arizona is the largest power plant in the United States of any fuel, and probably the 16th largest nuclear power plant in the world. It is 25% owned by California organizations and is one of the most critical sources of imported electricity. Although it was built around the same time as Diablo Canyon it is approved to operated for an additional 20 years.