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I get those points, but Fukushima was 10 years ago so clearly it couldn't have been that urgent. Really this has been about reducing carbon emissions. It is cle

by tims33 5y ago

I get those points, but Fukushima was 10 years ago so clearly it couldn't have been that urgent. Really this has been about reducing carbon emissions. It is clear now that the full impact of natural gas is much larger than originally understood.

artificial 5y ago
California is also home to the Aliso Creek gas leak which was the largest in US history. Larger than the Deep Water Horizon event in the Gulf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliso_Canyon_gas_leak https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliso_Canyon_gas_leak [edit: typo]
- dylan604 5y ago
  This video referenced in this wiki article (footnote [25]) shows a methane cloud in the area more than a month after the incident. I know nothing of how gases move around in the atmosphere, but I would not have expected it to behave like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Fyevj25-o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Fyevj25-o
  - function_seven 5y ago
    That video was taken during the leak. It lasted for months, finally being capped in February of 2016
    - dylan604 5y ago
      I totally misread the dates. Makes more sense now.
dylan604 5y ago
How long do you think it takes to put enough pressure to get a change like this going? It's not overnight. To me, 10 years seems pretty fast for something like this. The cynic in me knowing that it is owned by PG&E thinks there are a few very expensive maintanence items coming up that the owner has decided it would be more feasible to just shut it down rather than doing the repairs to keep it going. The expense is what led to the decision and not public pressure, but since they won't admit to any of that, the pressure groups claim the victory.
- aerostable_slug 5y ago
  Growing up in San Luis Obispo, I can say firsthand that pressure has been on PG&E to close the plant since ~1969. Mothers for Peace, the Abalone Alliance, and a bunch of other groups have been at war with DCPP for decades. The funny thing is when they finally "won", members of these same groups immediately started bleating about the massive amounts of lost tax revenue that are now looming large over local budgets. The closure has nothing to do with maintenance. The steam generators still have tons of life in them, the reactors are fine, etc. The main driver is California's renewable policies that would mean the plant likely wouldn't be at 100% every day, which is where it needs to be to stay economically viable. Fun fact: Diablo's "battery" is the Helms Pumped Storage Facility. It is extremely cool — a perfect Bond supervillain lair.

by tims33 5y ago

artificial 5y ago

California is also home to the Aliso Creek gas leak which was the largest in US history. Larger than the Deep Water Horizon event in the Gulf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliso_Canyon_gas_leak https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliso_Canyon_gas_leak [edit: typo]

dylan604 5y ago
This video referenced in this wiki article (footnote [25]) shows a methane cloud in the area more than a month after the incident. I know nothing of how gases move around in the atmosphere, but I would not have expected it to behave like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Fyevj25-o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Fyevj25-o
- function_seven 5y ago
  That video was taken during the leak. It lasted for months, finally being capped in February of 2016
  - dylan604 5y ago
    I totally misread the dates. Makes more sense now.

dylan604 5y ago

How long do you think it takes to put enough pressure to get a change like this going? It's not overnight. To me, 10 years seems pretty fast for something like this. The cynic in me knowing that it is owned by PG&E thinks there are a few very expensive maintanence items coming up that the owner has decided it would be more feasible to just shut it down rather than doing the repairs to keep it going. The expense is what led to the decision and not public pressure, but since they won't admit to any of that, the pressure groups claim the victory.

aerostable_slug 5y ago
Growing up in San Luis Obispo, I can say firsthand that pressure has been on PG&E to close the plant since ~1969. Mothers for Peace, the Abalone Alliance, and a bunch of other groups have been at war with DCPP for decades. The funny thing is when they finally "won", members of these same groups immediately started bleating about the massive amounts of lost tax revenue that are now looming large over local budgets. The closure has nothing to do with maintenance. The steam generators still have tons of life in them, the reactors are fine, etc. The main driver is California's renewable policies that would mean the plant likely wouldn't be at 100% every day, which is where it needs to be to stay economically viable. Fun fact: Diablo's "battery" is the Helms Pumped Storage Facility. It is extremely cool — a perfect Bond supervillain lair.