It's Time to Retire the Diablo Canyon Power Plant
A Unique Opportunity to Preserve Tesla Park
In 1985 the Coca-Cola company introduced New Coke, the best selling car was the Chevrolet Cavalier, the median price of a home in California was $84,300, Michael Jordan was named NBA’s Rookie of the Year, and the Diablo Power Plant was commissioned. In the 38 years since, Coca-Cola and Chevrolet’s products have been updated (without New Coke thankfully), the median home price has increased (dramatically), and Michael Jordan’s career has evolved multiple times (no, we’re not counting baseball). Yet California has been unable to shake its attachment to the outdated, dangerous, and now unnecessary nuclear power plant in Diablo Canyon.
The Newsom Administration is of the opinion that Diablo Canyon needs to stay open because there isn't enough renewable energy to replace it. However, Governor Newsom recently shared that California has built out more than 6,600 megawatts of battery storage. These are unprecedented gains in the state’s investment in renewable energy resources. Rather than throwing a lifeline at an aging nuclear power plant and passing these costs to California ratepayers, the state needs to maintain this momentum and increase funding for renewable energy.
Beyond these costs lies the more significant problem of safety. Despite concerns about deterioration raised by state legislators and environmental groups like Sierra Club California, PG&E failed to test the Diablo Canyon’s Unit 1 reactor during its last opportunity to do so. PG&E - the same company that failed to properly inspect gas pipelines before the 2010 blast that killed 8 people in San Bruno - has instead stated that testing for embrittlement can wait until the next refueling shut down months or years from now.
California’s people, environment, and economy has been held hostage by PG&E and dirty energy for too long. Sierra Club California will continue to advocate for transitioning away from dangerous plants like Diablo Canyon and towards our clean energy future. And you can help!
Tell the CPUC, your State Senator, and State Assemblymember that you don't want to pay to keep Diablo Canyon on life support with billions in taxpayer dollars when California's clean energy generation has already left Diablo in the dust. Join Sierra Club California and the Santa Lucia Chapter’s efforts to move California’s energy transition forward.
A Unique Opportunity to Preserve Tesla Park
California State Parks is currently seeking public input to guide the classification process for the Alameda-Tesla property (Tesla Park). This 3,100 acre area in Alameda County contains rich biodiversity and important cultural and historic values.
State Parks is undergoing the process of evaluating and classifying the property before it can be opened to visitors and non-motorized recreation users. During the evaluation phase, State Parks will consider four possible classifications: State Recreation Area, State Park, State Reserve, and State Historical Unit. Sierra Club California and our allies believe Tesla would be best served by being classified as a State Reserve, and we need your help to make this vision a reality.
In November, State Parks hosted two public workshops to answer questions and solicit feedback from participants. Both meetings were well-attended, and State Parks received strong feedback that conserving the rich ecological, historical, and cultural resources at Tesla is a priority for participants. Thank you to everyone who has already participated in this process by taking the survey or attending one of the workshops. Your voice makes a difference!
If you were not able to attend one of the workshops, you can still make your voice heard in this process. Send an email to State Parks TODAY to help classify Tesla as a State Reserve!
Classifying the land as a Reserve would help preserve sensitive wildlife, including golden eagles, red-legged frogs, and other endangered, threatened, and rare plants and animals that call Tesla Park home. It would also protect the area’s historic and cultural sites that are important to indigenous people in the region. As a Reserve, Tesla Park would be open to the public to enjoy through activities like hiking, wildlife viewing, birdwatching, educational tours and research.
Your participation and feedback throughout this process is critical to ensure Tesla’s classification and management reflects the extensive biodiversity and cultural values it holds.
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