Associated Press. (2022, August 12). California governor proposes extending Nuclear Plant’s Life. Associated Press. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-08-12/nuke-or-no-nuke-california-officials-ponder-nuclear-future  

 

Governor Gavin Newsom has declared that the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant will remain open for an extended 5-10 years past its 2025 expiration date. Governor Newsom claims that it is in the best interest of both southern and northern Californian’s as the plant produces, “9% of the state’s electricity.” Environmentalists such as Ralph Cavanagh claim that the move goes against the California Environmental Quality Act and other 2016 environmental decisions made in the wake of imminent climate change effects. 

 

Nuclear energy is one of the great options of clean energy sourcing. Its reaction of splitting atoms via fission to produce energy aids many in receiving efficient energy. To completely deprive a state of what makes up almost 10% of its energy sourcing would mean both an economic and also political disaster. I think that it is excellent that Newsom is extending Diablo Canyon’s lifespan, but I also think that he should invest more time and money creating more renewable energy sources instead.