‘Save Diablo Canyon’ rally hopes to stop closure of nuclear power plant
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- A grassroots effort to delay or prevent the planned closure of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County is gaining momentum.
Dozens of people rallied in downtown San Luis Obispo on Saturday morning in support of keeping Diablo Canyon open.
They say California's last remaining nuclear power plant, which is due to close in four years, should be part of future, renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
Organizers point to a recent study published by Stanford University and MIT. The report indicates nuclear power is a reliable and safe "green" energy source with no carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
"I was familiar with the projections of what happens when a nuclear power plant gets decommissioned because we've seen that across the united states, an increase of carbon generation, as was just referred to, concerns for grid reliance, the stability of the grid and how we transmit and distribute energy, and the often too late recognition of the loss of a fixed-energy asset, that fixed energy asset brings jobs and most importantly carbon-free energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Dawn Ortiz-Legg, a San Luis Obispo County Supervisor.
Those in favor of closing the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant argue it remains a public health and safety threat sitting above earthquake fault lines.
The planned closure of Diablo Canyon by 2025 will mean the loss of thousands of good-paying jobs and millions of dollars in annual tax revenue for San Luis Obispo County.
