Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel

Public Comments

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DateDecommissioning TopicComment / Suggestion:Group Affiliation, if any (Optional)Link to Web Page or Online FileUploaded File 1Uploaded File 2
December 14, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"How come PG&E and the NRC seem to be so cavalier about the more recent seismic data showing that the faults offshore may well be connected and may be more capable of a serious earthquake which could damage various safety systems that are critical even after a shutdown?"
December 14, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"where will the spent fuel be stored ?"

land heritage
December 14, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"I am wondering if the public will be informed of the 20 year required NRC licensing period before Diablo Canyon is approved for extended operation. Will PG&E be required to warn the public that no permanent nuclear waste site exists, i.e., no solution exists for long term storage of high level nuclear waste. Will the public be notified if high level nuclear waste casks are transported along rail and highway routes near their vicinity?"
December 12, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"Anxious to see what action will be taken to protect and preserve our central coast. What will we do for the future? How do we justify or explain that the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant was allowed to operate and leave present and future (unborn) generations with deadly nuclear waste that will be deadly for thousands of years."
December 12, 2022Safety

My understanding is Unit 1 at Diablo was designed and constructed with a different material specification which some critics have suggested makes it more vulnerable to potential weld embrittlement. I understand that design specification was changed with the construction of Unit 2. With the Diablo Independent Safety Committee looking into this potential embrittlement issue, the possibility exists that one reactor may be found acceptable for extended life and the other less so, if not irreparably compromised. Can Dr. Budnitz comment on that aspect of the review path? For PGE: What would be the decommissioning path if one reactor is found beyond repair for safe operation or requires significant repair before continuing operation? Is there a bifurcated path of ongoing operation for one and some level of decommissioning for the other?
December 12, 2022Safety

This is a comment a received from a member for the public. I'm hoping some of this can be addressed on Wednesday:

SB846 includes contingencies that could put a halt to extended operations and restore the 2024/2025 retirement dates. The law is 31 pages of dense language, and includes provisions /scenarios where state agencies, including the CEC and the CPUC, may find that the state’s energy reliability needs will not be served by extended operations, or that extended operations are too costly. It’s important that these contingencies be highlighted at the meeting, and I did not see them adequately addressed in the PGE slideshow linked at the DCDEP website. Perhaps the CEC representative could address how the public can monitor and participate in CEC/CPUC SB846-related evaluations of need for, and cost of, extended operations.

Panel Member
December 10, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"Safety is my number one concern. Explain what measures PG&E is taking regarding retaining experienced staff, deterioration of nuclear power plant, potential earthquakes. "
December 9, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"I want to understand the term "forgivable loan" with regard to the $1.4 billion given to PG&E to extend
their operating license. This will come from the California State General Fund. Won't this amount really be paid by ratepayers and taxpayers?"
December 9, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

1- the impact that the extended operation will have on the proposed Offshore Wind Farm, for which 3 leases were recently granted. At least one of the awardees commented that the availability of transmission infrastructures played a role in their bid (that is, the Diablo Canyon infrastructure), but this will not be available if the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant continues to operate. How is PG&E addressing this?

2- with chronic water shortages in SLO County being the new reality, the decommissioning of the power plant offered new hope that its on-site desalination plant might be re-purposed to supply the community, perhaps in conjunction with the new offshore wind farms. What are PG&E's long term goals with respect to this desalination plant? (Note: although the desal plant operation is sub-leased, it is clear that PG&E exerts significant control over all aspects of this facility)
December 7, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"Would love to discuss mechanisms for how to extend operations even further."

Mothers For Nuclear
December 7, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"Please update us regarding the status of the NRC relicensing process for DCPP. Please also clarify the role of and any open requirements of the Region 3 California State Water Resources Control Board, the California Coastal Commission, the California State Lands Commission, the California Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. What is the status of new fuel procurement and new spent nuclear fuel canister procurement? Is PG&E having success in its recruitment project for staff augmentation? Please clarify the status and projected length of the DCPP refueling outages between now and the commencement of Extended Operations?"

Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Inc.
December 7, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"Is it anticipated that there will be a change in spent fuel encasement?"
December 7, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

1. Unit 1 is only 2 years from license expiration. Does PG&E have enough time to go thru. the NRC's relicensing process?

2. If eventually the relicensing is not approved by the NRC or any State Regulator such as the Coastal Commission, will the federal government still pay for all the expenses incurred by PG&E in the relicensing process?
December 7, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The following comment was received while registering for the December 14, 2022 Engagement Panel meeting:

"We strongly support continuing operations at Diablo Canyon and are interested in learning more about the process of assuring safety."

Al Pie Del Cielo Farm & Vineyard
December 5, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

I am completely opposed to an extension of Diablo power nuclear plant expiration date....I live less than a n 10 miles away...this nuclear plant has been sitting on our local earth q uake fault for 40 years
December 5, 2022Other

Wikipedia definition of micro reactor to accompany my last question.

A nuclear microreactor is a plug-and-play type of nuclear reactor which can be easily assembled and transported by road, rail or air.[1] Microreactors are 100 to 1,000 times smaller than conventional nuclear reactors, and when compared with small modular reactors (SMRs), their capacity is between 1 to 20 megawatts whereas SMRs comes in the range from 20 to 300 megawatts.[2] Due to their size, they can be deployed to locations such as isolated military bases or communities affected by natural disasters. They are designed to provide resilient, non-carbon emitting, and independent power in challenging environments.[3] The nuclear fuel source for the majority of the designs is "High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium", or HALEU.[4]
December 5, 2022Other

have trailer mounted micro reactors been considered for operation at Diablo when they become available?

paying PG&E to continue operation at Diablo Canyon it's ridiculous you're a profit engine and the people of California should not fund your stockholders profits.

assuming that California will move forward with billion dollar bonus payment to PG&E would you be willing to open your personal records and provide bonus and incentive money Payments Transactions to employees over the next 10 years as a condition of accepting the funds?

Along with complete accounting of how the money was spent.

Please send me a copy of your answer to my email
December 2, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

By what process did the DCDEP make the decision to exclude public comment at the December 14, 2022 public meeting?
November 30, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

As a lifelong resident of the Central Coast here in California, and having moved around the state for work during my career, I see how absolutely desperate we are for a renewable, clean, safe form of energy is to our state. I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is that we not only extend the closure of this power plant, but make it permanent and in fact, expand operations either locally or by building additional renewable Energy in nuclear power plants throughout California. Safety first though! It can be done safely and in a cost effective manner. Additionally, the financial impact to the loss of well-paying employment opportunities has and will continue to negatively affect the Central Coast so as a secondary point I am in strong support of maintaining this facility as an open, operational and safe facility.

Long Time Central Coast Resident
November 29, 2022Safety

In the past I understood that Diablo wasn't up to current earthquake standards. As a local resident this is very concerning. Will there be any additional work/conditions made to address seismic needs BEFORE any final approval to extend the life of the plant?
November 29, 2022Repurposing of Facilities

Harmony Coast Aquaculture Institute is a nonprofit committed to developing sustainable land-based marine aquaculture methods. We have acquired the former Abalone Farm in Cayucos for this purpose, and we wish to consider whether PG&E is open to the possibility of diverting a small amount of seawater from the DCPP pumping infrastructure for similar activities that would be adjacent to but would not affect power production. We are bringing this forward now to introduce the concept while the initiative to extend power generation is being discussed. Our hope is that PG&E would be open to finding ways to generate power while continuing to divest land and finding more efficient use of the existing infrastructure.

The idea is that a portion of DCPP's pumped seawater could be diverted into aquaculture tanks to grow certain species of native California seaweed and shellfish. The tanks we have in mind are similar in size to some that are already in use at the desalination facility. Doing so would yield multiple benefits, including beneficial changes to the coastal marine environment, and a way to positively engage with cultural and social matters that have long attended the presence of the nuclear power operation. Our question: would PG&E consider a proposal from HCAI to utilize some seawater and currently unused real estate adjacent to DCPP?

Whether or not the time is now to engage with PG&E on this matter, HCAI has recently acquired the former Abalone Farm in Cayucos. At full capacity, the HCAI Cayucos facility will be the largest such land-based aquaculture facility in the country. What we have in mind for DCPP mirrors what we are beginning to do at the Cayucos facility, at a fraction of the scale that is possible on the Pecho Coast at Parcel P. We just secured the Cayucos facility last month, so we have plenty to do. Our intention is to make the world better, so identifying places to scale up our vision where there is already a seawater intake and space to operate is key.

Harmony Coast Aquaculture Instituteharmonycoast.org
November 29, 2022Safety

It is pure foolishness to continue operating Diablo which contributes less than 9% of the states’ energy. There is still an earthquake fault to deal with, plus aged structures and equipment. I wonder how many young nuclear physicists are still in California ? I realize no one wants an accident, but extending operation of this very old facility is asking for trouble. Who is liable is there is an accident? The state, this commission, or PG&E?
November 9, 2022Other

The Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility filed comments on the first workshop on the future of Diablo Canyon held by the California Energy Commission on October 28, 2022. This starts the process of determining how much energy California will need in the coming years and whether or not Diablo is a reliable and affordable solution should it merit consideration.

Alliance for Nuclear Responsibilitya4nr.org110822-DCNPP-Extension-A4NR-Comments-on-CEC-102822-workshop.pdf
October 31, 2022Other

PG&E NEGLIGENCE CAUSED 149.2 DAYS OF 2020-2021 FORCED OUTAGES AT DIABLO CANYON;
COMPANY SHOULDN’T RECOVER $178.6 MILLION FROM CUSTOMERS FOR ITS OWN FAILURES
see attached press release

Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility103122-A4NR-ERRA-Testimony-PR.pdf
October 14, 2022Environmental Impacts

To my mind, Climate Change so vastly outweighs any of the other factors involved here. Whether or not nuclear power is "renewable" is a meaningless red herring at this juncture. That is a concern to address only after we have actually averted causing our own extinction. Nuclear power is carbon-free, utterly, and is the best solution we have to meet our energy needs without contributing to climate change.

And if we're being honest, the vast majority of people who have been in the past "opposed to nuclear power", or still are, have everything to do with irrational fear of the technology itself, not dissimilar from people afraid to use modern air travel for example. That isn't how we should be making choices as a society. And the small minority of actually valid concerns all pale in comparison to the global reckoning with greenhouse gas emissions we are already experiencing, which will only get vastly worse with time. At a time when there are still plenty of coal plants in this country, and installing all the massive new infrastructure, power storage capacity, and wind turbines etc themselves is no carbon-free activity... it simply appears to be utter madness to not make use of a large source of carbon-free power which already exists, and which has nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

We do not have the luxury of choosing only ideal options right now, we are in a fight for the survival of our species, and most others on the planet as well. And we certainly do not have the luxury to indulge outright irrational public fears based on ignorance.

lifelong resident of SLO county
August 26, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

I attended last night's meeting by phone and thought I had raised my hand, but I was not called, or misunderstood my number due to being hard of hearing.

I want to add my voice opposing extension of the operating license of the aging plant. Even if there were no safety issues due to seismic concerns, deferred maintenance, etc., its continued operation gets in the way of incorporating renewable sources of energy due to its high, constant output.

It was my understanding from the hearing by CEC that the grid is only challenged beyond its capacity for a few hours a day a few days a year (admittedly likely to increase as a result of global warming). It seems like, if there were the political will, that shortfall could be filled with storage, including from electric cars, and evolving technologies like green hydrogen fuel cells. And conservation efforts have reportedly saved twice the energy predicted in one program and its potential, I feel, is vastly underestimated.

When the offshore wind project comes online and is incorporated in to the Diablo grid, total demand will likely not exceed production very often. Since Diablo power cannot be reduced, that means solar and wind will need to moderate, producing lower revenues for companies trying to put clean, non-nuclear-waste-producing power into the lines.

There needs to be less effort made to protect utility profits and focus on building out more solar rooftops, local micro-grids and conserving energy with heat pumps and other energy saving strategies, especially incorporated in to new building construction.

Abalone Alliance Safe Energy Clearinghouse
August 26, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

Script of comments read at the August 24, 2022 public meeting

DCDEP PanelistAdditionalIssuesWithDCPPextension-8-24scriptRev5.docx
August 26, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

The attached are personal comments I made in the introduction to the Panel Meeting. They are my own reflections from the last weeks of discussion and do not reflect a Panel position, as there is no Panel position.

Panel memberML-continuation-comments-082422.pdf
August 26, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

Please find attached comments by DCDEP Member Kara Woodruff at the Engagement Panel Meeting on August 24, 2022.

DCDEPKara-Woodruff-Comments-DCDEP-Meeting-August-24-2022.pdf
August 25, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

Three signitories to the 2016 Shutdown Agreement regarding Diablo Canyon, Natural Resources Defense Council (“NRDC”), Friends of the Earth (“FOE”), and Environment California recently submitted written comments concerning future operation of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant to the California Energy Commission.

Included, were these statements:
"The Joint Proposal is not only a binding legal contract between PG&E and the other Signatory Parties. It is also the cornerstone of established and well-founded State policy and law in California."

"This Commission and the California Independent System Operator (“CAISO”), along with the Public Utilities Commission and the other agencies of California State Government, as well as the Governor and the Legislature, need to pull back from the hastily-conceived and poorly-reasoned proposal to extend the operation of Diablo Canyon beyond its schedule retirement dates in 2024-2025."

"Moreover, as we will discuss below, any such attempt by the State of California to force a material deviation from the terms of the Joint Proposal would violate the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Art. I, Sec. 10, Clause 1), which provides that “No State shall . . . pass any . . . Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts . . .” Thus, attempting to extend Diablo Canyon’s operations beyond 2024-2025, contrary to the express terms of the Joint Proposal, would not only be exceedingly bad State policy, it also would be unlawful."

On this basis alone, the Diablo extension project should be terminated immediately.

EON - the Ecological Options NetworkkNRDC-Comments_CEC-Docket-Joint-Comments-of-NRDC-et-al.pdf
August 25, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

WE NEED DIABLO CANYON TO CONTINUE OPERATING

Is Diablo Canyon dangerous?

Nuclear power is as safe as wind and solar. In over 60 years of civilian nuclear power for some, only one plant had an accident that actually hurt or killed any member of the public: Chernobyl. Contrary to popular belief, the ultimate death toll from Chernobyl is not expected to surpass 200. (In fact, three other reactors continued to run there–one until the year 2000.) No country other than the Soviet Union has run a dangerous nuclear plant like Chernobyl.

Although the Fukushima accident seemed scary, it was a lesson in how safe nuclear power is. No one died or was hurt as a result of the radiation release. We now know that the residents would have been far better off staying put. To put this in perspective, Fukushima residents that moved to, say, Tokyo, actually put themselves in greater danger due to fossil fuel air pollution than the danger they faced from low level radiation by staying in Fukushima.

But we learned a lot more from the Fukushima accident. All reactors around the world have been updated to avoid a repeat of a Fukushima-like event. Example: passive hydrogen recombiners have been installed (to recombine steam that splits into oxygen and hydrogen) to avoid the hydrogen explosion that occurred at Fukushima.

But even if Diablo Canyon hadn’t had such safety upgrades, a tsunami is not a problem for Diablo Canyon. First, the plant sits almost twice as high above the ocean as the Fukushima plant and second, the topology of the ocean floor in the area does not support a Fukushima-size tsunami.

Does Diablo Canyon take away billions of dollars better spent on renewables?

Diablo Canyon turns a profit and is an important part of the local economy. It provides some of the best paying jobs in the energy industry. The $1.4 billion it will receive is simply a loan. It will be paid back.

Does Diablo Canyon kill enormous amount of fish and other sea life?

A common misconception. By law, the water leaving the plant cannot exceed the temperature of the water entering the plant by more than 22 degrees. That warmer water quickly dissipates in the vast waters of the ocean.

The only ocean life affected are fish larvae at the entry point of the warmer water. It is a tiny effect given the vastness of the California coast. The coast line at Diablo Canyon is actually a marine sanctuary and is carefully monitored.

Is Diablo Canyon even needed? Shouldn’t we get on with the long, expensive cleanup?

Diablo is very much needed. Already, the unnecessary loss of San Onofre’s clean electricity paired with dwindling hydro generation have set back climate mitigation in California for a decade or more. Consider that California got 50% of its in-state generation from CO2-free energy sources in 2021–the same amount as 20 years ago!

We have to put climate mitigation as our top priority. The climate doesn’t care how we get to zero carbon–just that we get there.
August 25, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

Please decommission Diablo Canyon for all the following reasons:

seismic vulnerability
violation of the closure agreement
unlawful cooling system
prohibitive cost
impedes growth of renewable sources of energy
capacity for storage of high level radioactive waste beyond 2025
August 25, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operations

California needs a reliable, affordable, low-carbon electric grid NOW that must be able to grow to meet the demand from energy policies that will only increase our need for 24/7 baseload electricity in the future.
We simply MUST keep Diablo Canyon operating past the 2024/2025 closure date. Its reliable 2200 MW make up nearly 12% of our in-state low-carbon power. To shut it off now would take us backwards on our climate goals while jeopardizing our health and our economy from the threat of blackouts and energy shortages. The NRC has evaluated its seismic safety and validated that the risks of a catastrophic accident are acceptably low. The spent nuclear fuel stored on site will remain there whether the reactors are shut down or not. It is safely managed and monitored and poses no threat to humans or the environment. According to the International Energy Agency, the cheapest and quickest path to decarbonization is lifetime extension of existing nuclear plants. California should continue to show its leadership on confronting climate change and KEEP DIABLO CANYON OPEN.

DCDEPComment-Aug2022-JKlay.pdf
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. HOFF:· ·Hi my name is Heather Hoff.· I work at Diablo Canyon 18 years now.· I live here in San Luis Obispo.· I run a non profit called Mothers for Nuclear. · · · I appreciate everyone being here and being curious and asking questions.· That's how I changed my mind about nuclear.· It wasn't easy.· It took about six years of relentless investigation.
· · · ·What I don't appreciate is constant throwing up of barriers and issues without listening to the answers. Many of these issues raised tonight have already been solved or are not an issue in the first place.· I'm not going to rehash all the concerns that have been raised other than to say I've had all of these same concerns myself, explored all the aspects and sometimes, surprisingly, found that things weren't what they seem. · · · Everything points to the need for more clean energy and the value that Diablo Canyon provides, not justforCalifornia,butforhumanityandourplanet. I suggest we refocus our discussion on what we care about and then what we need in order to get there.· I care about reliable electricity.· People die in blackouts. Cal ISO says we need more electricity.
· · · I care about clean energy.· Diablo provides 15 percentofCalifornia'semission-freeelectricity. I care about climate change.· All history shows that when existing nuclear plants close emissions go up.· I care about transitioning away from natural gas, which is currently 15 percent of California's electricity.· And I care about energy security.· Right now 30 percent of our electricity is imported.
· · · All of Europe is in a worse situation right now because Germany shut down their nuclear plants and is now suddenly trying to stop using Russian gas.
· · · I care about safety.· There is no such thing as safe, only different levels of risk.· Continued operation of Diablo, even assuming the worst case in extremely unlikely scenarios, is still way less risky to human health and the environment than all our other options.
· · · The choice is clear.· We will always need more clean energy not less.· Some of this pivot will be hard but I think we can do hard things.· I have confidence in our team at Diablo Canyon and all of you to keep driving
for things that we care about.· We can have it all.· We can build a Cal Poly innovation park.· We can do land back for YTT.· We can invest in more clean energy.· And we can keep running Diablo Canyon.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. BABIAR:· ·Actually, it's Nina.· Last name is Babiar.· I'm down here in San Diego.· I'm founding member of Public Watch Dogs.· And, of course, we've been dogging the issue at San Onofre for over a decade now. · · · If you don't think the radiation leak can occur, that's what exactly shut the plant down at San Onofre for a few of your listeners that don't seem to realize that.
· · · I'm originally from Pittsburgh.· And I came in
1984.· I moved to California.· But in 1979 I was an engineering news reporter from McGraw Hill during Three Mile Island, so don't tell me that this can't happen. I'll put some printed comments.
· · · But I just want to bring up a couple of things that weren't discussed.· Nowhere this evening did I hear the word tsunami in any of the seismic probability discussions, which I think is pretty ludicrous.· And there is no conversation about evacuation or insurance or emergency response.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. WINES:· Hi.· My name is Paris Ortiz Wines. I'm a Goleta local, second generation Mexican American, and a millennial.· And my family members are being impacted by California's energy austerity policies.
· · · In 2021 Californians saw their electricity prices increase by nearly 12 percent.· Residents pay about 66 more for electricity than the rest of the country.· And as of March this year 3.6 million residents struggled to pay their electricity bills totalling over $1 billion. · · · Our energy austerity policies are placing the burden on our most vulnerable population.· Already we pay higher electricity prices during 4 to 9 during our peak demand because we do not have enough energy.· The idea to use less energy is elitist.
· · · If we are to close Diablo Canyon, our most reliable source of power we have, this will only worsen. In fact, CAISO stated in 2025 the cape (phonetic) will have a capacity shortfall of about 1800 megawatts.· They
have also projected annual electricity rate increases of between 4 and 9 percent between now and 2025.
· · · The data is clear.· When nuclear plants close they are replaced with fossil fuels.· When the San Onofre Nuclear Plant was shut down emissions in California increased by 37 million metric ton of CO2 equivalent. If Diablo Canyon is lost, 15.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions will be emitted between now and 2030.
· · · To close Diablo Canyon would be an environmental and social injustice.· Why aren't we concerned about all the natural gas plants that will still exist if Diablo Canyon is closed?· Of the debates, hypotheticals and uncertainties these are operating now including the air and increasing emissions.
· · · Why wouldn't we just continue to invest in our existing clean energy infrastructure?· Diablo can and should be operating for 20 years and more. Decarbonization means zero carbon energy not 100 percent renewable energy.
· · · Thank you for my time.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. DUVAL:· Great.· Sorry about before.· Given the extensive safety and seismic studies that I really appreciate everyone's time on, I'm feeling confident that Diablo is safe and reliable.
· · · We've had more deaths due to natural gas explosions and solar panel installations than we've had from nuclear plants in the United States.· Instead of replacing nuclear we should be replacing fossil fuels. By keeping Diablo Canyon online isn't getting in the way
of building any more renewables in storage.· But taking it offline will mean a disastrous hit to our economy, cost of living, quality of life, blackouts and obviously carbon emissions.
· · · If Gavin Newsome could solve California's projected electricity shortages with renewables, he certainly would.· It's much more popular.· But there is no viable path right now· for California to replace Diablo Canyon's electricity, which counts for 9 percent of the state's generation and is carbon free.· Thank you.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MR.UMPTER:··Good evening.·Thank you, Chuck. I believe you can all hear me.· I'm Louis Umpter.· I live in San Francisco.· And I emigrated into the U.S. from France which is 70 percent nuclear for its energy production.
· · · I wanted to talk about a little bit risk versus exposition.· And this one is for you, Mariam, and the people at the gym.· So it's very important -- a lot of people are scared about nuclear.· And I think it's very important to explain the difference between the risk and exposition.
· · · Nuclear is very risky.· If you like, you know, our near (unintelligible) like, you're going to get radiated and die pretty quickly.· But the thing is we are not very exposed to that.· All right?· I trust people like Bob and the NRC to keep us safe from those dangers.
· · · However, I am much more exposed to, like, car traffic when I am biking.· All right?· And that's in the end more risky for me.· All right?· So explain the difference in risk and exposition is super important. You're never exposed to radioactive materials.· That doesn't happen.· But the safety that we just saw it allowing we can learn from historical data.
· · · I want to talk about the work of the GRC, which is the European Union body for science research which is Europe commission.· And the report from last year section 3.5 report of severe accidents.· Nuclear is on par with hydro.· So if you guys want to close nuclear plants because they are risky, you should also consider closing all hydro and damns that we have, because they are the same risk in the end.· Right?
· · · Also about safety and risk, I want to talk about the story of, like, Japan and Ukraine.· Japan and Ukraine are the two countries with the biggest nuclear accidents, yet they are ones most committed to nuclear today.· Japan just announced today that they were going to restart, like, almost 20 reactors next summer.· And they are going to build new ones.
· · · Ukraine is heavily invested in nuclear.· They are, like, one of the biggest plants in Europe today.· And it's safe even with the war.· I'm still not scared by that.· There's better fights to pick for climate change. The fight against nuclear is just, like, nonsense. Fight against, like -- fight for your transparency. Fight for better transparency with the police and so on. There's better fights.· Thank you for your time.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MR. HOPF:· ·My name is James Hopf.· I'm a required nuclear engineer who lives in Tracy, California.· You know, it's hard to believe that California's planning on shutting down its largest (Zoom inaudible) in 2025 electricity shortage (Zoom inaudible).· And also it's hard to believe that (Zoom inaudible) shutting down its largest carbon free power generator during the climate crisis.
· · · There was mention of an alternative policy to simply take money for Diablo and give it to renewables and that will solve the problem.· But as Cal ISO said in a recent hearing no that's not the problem.· Money is not the problem.· Even if procurement of renewables and storage goes perfectly there will be 1800 megawatt shortfall.· The single act of keeping Diablo Canyon open would cover that shortfall.· We can't get enough renewable energy no how much money we throw at it.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. SAMEK:· ·I'm Jill Samek.· I'm a member of the Board of the San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace and a downwind resident of Arroyo Grande.
· · · I am adamantly opposed to extended operation of Diablo Canyon beyond 2025 for any length of time.· It should have closed by natural consequences in 2019 when it became economically unviable.
· · · I'm opposed to any further negotiations, subsidies, continued and increased safety risks and environmental waivers.· There is a deal to close Diablo by 2025, for good reasons.· And we must not violate it. · · · It was well thought out.· And it has benefitted all parties; PG&E, cities, schools and workers.· Any attempt to renege on it shows lack of integrity and foresight.· We must not continue to burden rate payers and taxpayers with the tremendous cost of resurrecting this old dirty and dangerous plant.· We must not go back to 1960s technology.· We must not continue to generate even more toxic waste to be stored above multiple active earthquake faults.· We must not expose the region to further risks.
· · · Remember Three Mile Island.· Remember Chernobyl. And remember Fukushima.· People did die as a consequence of those accidents.· We must close Diablo as planned. We must spend our time and money on implementing 21st century energy clean resources, efficiency and conservation.· Thank you.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

Hi.· I live in San Francisco.· And I work as an (Zoom inaudible) policy analyst.· I'm turning 30 next week.· And I'm thinking about having kids.· But I worry a lot about the world that they are going to grow up in with unprecedented heat waves, droughts, wild fires.
· · · And just be clear, I support wind, I support solar, anything to decarbonize.· But we need to decarbonize now.· And we can't make it any harder for ourselves than it already is.
· · · I'm not going to talk about the technical details. You already heard the facts from Dr. Budnitz and Dr. Gibson.· We heard about numerous safety and feasibility
analyses that have been done, not just by the NRC but also by independent unbiased groups.
· · · And after all that -- for those of who you are still living in this fantasy world where you think that closing a plant is anything but a huge step backwards, I envy your blissful ignorance.· Yes, it's going to take hard work and it's going to take money, but we have to keep Diablo Canyon running for the earth and for our children.· Thank you.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

· · MR. WASSERMAN:· ·Hi.· My name is Harvey Wasserman. I'm a resident of Los Angeles.· And I have children and grandchildren here.
· · · That -- the Diablo Canyon reactors are not insured for the good reason.· I want to see somebody who is advocating continued operation of Diablo Canyon step forward and tell me how you will compensate me and my family for the loss of our health and our livelihoods when and -- if and when -- and I think it's more when than if -- the San Andreas or one of the many other earthquake faults takes those reactors to the ground.
· · · Diablo Canyon One is embrittled.· We asked Gavin Newsom years ago to inspect it.· In 2019 we presented him with a petition signed by 2500 people.· And he has
refused to inspect that reactor.· And here we are after -- there were two years of very important, very credible negotiations that went on to come to the conclusion that those reactors should shut.· And now he's pushing forward in less than two months to force a decision.
· · · The 1.4 billion should go to renewables.· And there is no one advocating for the continued operation of these reactors that can come forward and tell me how they are going to be insured.· After all of these years the nuclear power industry has been unable to get private insurance.· And now you can't tell me, as a Los Angeles resident, what will happen to my children and grandchildren when those reactors blow up.· So thank you very much.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

· · MR. HETTLE:· ·James Hettle.· The natural resources defense counsel and other signatories to the agreement 2016, which is a legal binding contract, wrote to the California Energy Commission.· And they said this:· Any attempt by the State of California to force a material deviation from the letters of the agreement would violate the constitution, thus attempting to extend Diablo Canyon's operation beyond this agreement is contrary to the express terms of the joint proposal would not e only be exceedingly bad state policy, it would be unlawful and unconstitutional.· That's the bottom line.· Thank you.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

· · · MR. PICKERING:· ·Hello.· My name is Ryan Pickering from Berkeley, California.· The purpose of my comment is to highlight a viable plan to extend operations at the plant while achieving broad community support and restorative justice.
· · · Diablo Canyon is located on the Pecho Coast, the ancestral homelands of yak tityu tityu yak tilhini tribe known locally as YTT.· On July 27th, Mona Tucker, the tribal chair of YTT sent a letter to the Governor's
office.· The letter expresses unanimous support from YTT tribal council to demand the return the Diablo lands. This land was stolen from YTT without consent, agreement or compensation.· The tribal resolution lays out a pathway towards restoring the land to the tribe for conservation.
· · · The tribe has spoken publicly that they are willing to lease these lands to PG&E for continued operation of the plant.· The tribe was not consulted in the 2018 joint proposal to close the plant, making it invalid.
· · · In June 2021 the tribe registered to acquire Diablo lands through the CPUC's new tribal land transfer police. I call on this panel to support extended operations of and partnership with YTT tribe. This ensures prosperity for California while --
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MR. LUCIA:· ·Good evening.· My name is Guido Nunez Lucia.· I'm a resident of San Francisco.· I'm a data scientist.· I'm an immigrant.· And I've been working on environmental issues for the last 32 years.
· · · I support continuing the impeccable safety record of the Diablo Canyon.· It's a question why we are discussing -- even discussing closing the Diablo Canyon. Because if some people here say we have enough power to keep the lights on, why aren't we focusing on natural gas plants?· Right now are· poisoning the air, are causing asthma and respiratory illness all over the state.· Let's not focus on hypotheticals.· Leaving that aside --
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. DOWD:· ·Hi.· I'm Lindy Dowd.· And I am local so I hope I can have two minutes.· I live in Los Osos. Seven miles as the crow flies from Diablo Canyon.· I'm also the San Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club co-lead for the Governor's visionary initiative to conserve 30 percent of California's bio diverse lands by 2030, called 30 by 30.
· · · The 12,000 acre Diablo Canyon lands are a major conservation priority for the Central Coast's participation in 30-30, as is the establishments of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
· · · Extending the operation of this aging nuclear power plant would be a major setback in this 30 by 30 effort.· And it is very disappointing that the Governor is promoting this.· There are bound to be bumps in the road to reduce in California carbon footprint and transitioning to a more nature-based sustainable energy future.· But I believe these bumps should be heading in the right direction, not going backwards.
· · · With an incentive-base push for energy conservation by all of us and investing that $1.4 billion in renewable energy and storage, we can do it. · · · Investing in this aging plant is throwing good
money after bad and increasing the risks we've lived with for 40 years of environmental impacts, earthquakes, malfunctions, stored nuclear waste, terrorist attacks, and on and on.· I strongly support keeping the shutdown of Diablo Canyon on schedule and not extending it a minute longer.· Thank you.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MR. KIM:· ·My name is J. Hondu Kim.· I'm a resident of Santa Clara County.· I'm a member of All Mothers for Nuclear, although not a mother.· And I have generally been a supporter of this.
· · · In general, I hope within the public comment it's important we talk about accidents or risks or uncertainty.· But the certainty is that we continue to put out an enormous amount of air pollution which has known effects.· If there was any -- despite enormous effects -- for example, as Harry Wasserman spoke about LA, the people -- the people of LA especially -- or go, um -- have air pollution effects that constantly affect the health.· It is a known disaster.· 200,000 Americans die every year early of air pollution.· And yet we do not assess these risks.· We are putting a much higher scrutiny on this nuclear use, fossil fuel use.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

Good evening, distinguished panel.· My name is Eric Veum.· I am a resident here of San Luis Obispo and I'm co-author of the brief that was submitted to this panel Pathways to Clean and Reliable Grid for California Without Diablo Canyon.
· · · I wanted to come before you this evening to make just several brief points because time is short.
· · · First is that, um, the intention of this brief is to bring together a -- to offer a perspective that starts to unpackage the complexity of the issue around the continuation of Diablo Canyon and to look at, from a system's perspective, the pieces that contribute to overall reliability and success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
· · · And if you look at the sources, the -- the brief is highly sourced -- all of the sources come from either PG&E's own testimony or from agencies like the CPUC, CAISO and others.· And so the intent was not to do any original work, but to analyze and integrate the picture of, um, the state's policy and resource availability that paints a different picture that's being told around the necessity for the extension of operation of Diablo Canyon.
· · · And so in brief, several points I'd like to make. One is for those that understand how a nuclear plant operates it is not intended to be used as a reliability of resource.· It is not flexible.· It's a large
inflexible generator that's not intended to meet the needs under extreme cases for a few hours.· It's meant to run all the time and produce a lot of electricity.
· · · The second, in relation to the fact that it produces a lot of electricity, PG&E, in their own testimony during decommissioning, has demonstrated that PG&E does not need the plant in order to meet its goals. And that the PUC has updated the renewable portfolio standard to 73 percent by 2032.· And what that means is continuing the operation of Diablo Canyon, providing eight percent of California's energy, will decrease our ability to move forward in integrating flexible resources like renewable energy, battery storage and others, to achieve our RPS goals by 2032.
· · · So I know my time is short.· But my recommendations and my co-authors' recommendations I encourage all to take a close look at.· And for the legislature to seriously consider them as they move forward with considering legislation in the near term. Thank you so much.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MS. BRAGON:· ·Can you turn off your computer?
· · · I'm heartbroken and outraged by this rush dumb democratic stampede to continue operating Diablo Canyon with all its monumental risks.· Many alternatives exist if the true motivation is to continue to adequately supply necessary electricity.
· · · The safety of Californians and the continued viability of our gorgeous environment should not be gambled with.· Major nuclear disasters have occurred on average of one every 14 years or so.· We are about due for another one.· Don't let it be Diablo Canyon. Estimates by Ed Lymon of the Union of Concerned Scientists for Diablo Canyon is that it's one in 800. This is a desperate full court press to continue the nuclear industry.· Thank you.
August 24, 2022Proposed Extension of DCPP Operation

Public comment presented during the August 24, 2022 Engagement Panel Meeting:

MR. SEE:· ·Sure.· Dan See.· I'm a licensed professional engineer in the State of California. I live here in San Luis Obispo.· I have a masters from Cal Poly.· I teach there part-time.· I spent seven years working at Diablo Canyon as a consultant.· I'm now working elsewhere for the past four years.
· · · Diablo -- I didn't set out to work in energy.· But working at the plant for seven years I grew to understand the importance of energy in our daily lives and what Diablo represents, stable base-load power.
· · · Being a civil engineer my responsibility was seismic safety.· Everything we did -- you know, we -- we, basically -- you know, it's an electrical facility. That's its purpose.· It has a lot of mechanical equipment.· But then civil engineers make sure stuff doesn't fall down, basically.· Simplest terms I can think of, but that's what it is.
· · · And so to Dr. Blakesley's point, certainty. Nothing in life is certain.· Nothing.· Not a single thing.· If we want to get into engineering, the practice of engineering, engineering doesn't give you certainty in any field.
· · · Space shuttle?· Yes, you are correct.
· · · Seismic?· Do we really want to get into questioning everything?
· · · How safe is the Golden Gate Bridge?
· · · How safe is every sky rise in San Francisco?· It as a major fault running through the barrier.· If there's an earthquake bigger than what those are designed for, there's a very immediate and certain outcome.
· · · If there's a radiation release at Diablo -- if there is an earthquake big enough to cause a radiation release at Diablo, this whole county is flat.· It's flat.· Buildings are fallen down, bridges collapse, gas lines ruptured.· This town is devastated if there's an earthquake large enough.· And thousands of people dead in the county.· If there's -- if there's an earthquake big enough to do radiation release -- to cause a radiation release at Diablo -- there's no certainties in anything.
· · · So demanding a certainty from Diablo is -- is not engineering.· It's not the practice of engineering.
· · · Um, stable base-load power?· Not going away. California wants to have all cars 2035 and after be electric vehicles.· Our electric demand is going to go through the roof; through the roof.
· · · We want to kick gas appliances out of homes and electrify homes; water heaters, you know, furnaces, stoves, et cetera.· You know, gas-powered clothes dryer -- our electric demand is going to go through the roof.· We need all the energy we can get.
Kicking off our safest, largest source of low carbon energy, lower than anything else that we have, is falling.· It is absolute falling.· Thank you.
DateDecommissioning TopicComment / Suggestion:Group Affiliation, if any (Optional)Link to Web Page or Online FileUploaded File 1Uploaded File 2
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