this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024
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Numbers wise, it probably makes sense.
California is so huge and growing all the time, that while they're updating the energy grid and installing new truly sustainable energy, the electricity for two and a half million houses that one power plant provides is probably a huge help in the intermediary time.
"...probably a huge help..."
No, not much actually.
According to California Energy Commission 2021 data (https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2021-total-system-electric-generation), nuclear accounted for only 9.3% of total generated for the state. Solar and wind each beat that. All we have to do is reduce usage by 10% and we can finally decommission a facility that's producing deadly radiation waste - that sits near a fault line.
Which means this one plant provies 9.3% of the state's power generation. It's entirely reasonable to think that cutting that power generation without having other sources to replace it with would be a "bad idea," especially considering how Enron royally fucked California by playing games with power.