To: California Energy Commission Dockets Unit;
      Attn: Docket No. 04-IEP-1J
      1516 Ninth Street, MS-4
      Sacramento, CA 95814-5512

Re: Energy Report: Nuclear Power, 2005 Workshops

Date: August 13th, 2005

From: Russell D. Hoffman, Concerned Citizen, Carlsbad, CA

To The Commission,

San Onofre and Diablo Canyon should be shut down immediately.  Those of you who don't agree should catch up with the current level of research and body of known facts within society at large, not to mention in the scientific community, the activist community, and in Osama's think-tank/den.  Terrorists no doubt understand the advantages of attacking an operational reactor, especially one which is in the process of off-loading hot, so-called "spent" fuel, or has recently done so.  The California Energy Commission should also be aware of the dangers they are permitting.

The enclosed item is obviously NOT a call for immediate shutdown.  Sure, in 16 to 20 years it might force a shutdown of our current crop of four plants, which by then will be 40 years old -- if they survive that long -- and by then, California could have a dozen NEW nuclear power plants!  Ask the utilities when THEY expect to be able to move nuclear spent fuel waste out-of-state!  As soon as they do, they will be allowed to build new nuclear power plants -- never mind the fact that the "out-of-state" solutions might be little more than "out-of-sight; out-of-mind" solutions, in which the waste is not neutralized, and no physical barrier will protect us -- it's just dumped on an Indian reservation and hoped to be forgotten about.  That's NOT a solution!

As our reactors run out their licenses (if they don't melt down first), between now and then we will add approximately 2,000 NEW TONS of spent fuel and other high-level radioactive waste to our existing problem.

Waiting to close San Onofre and Diablo Canyon until their current licenses expire is negligent.  It is dangerous.  It is foolhardy.

A copy of this letter will be provided in written form to the Commission as part of a complete statement for Docket No. 04-IEP-1J.

Sincerely,

Russell Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA

At 12:58 PM 8/10/2005 -0700, newsletters@a4nr.org wrote:
Subject: "Opportunities abound without nuclear"

Dear Subscriber,
This is an action letter from the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility.
To sign this letter, and/or change your details, please follow this link...
http://a4nr.org/actionLetters/actionlettercecworkshop/ActionLetter_confirmForm?subid=00137mA9oM
Your participation will make our success quicker and more certain.
Thank you,
The Alliance.

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Opportunities abound without nuclear

Governor Schwartznegger, California can lead the nation, boost the economy and stop the production of high-level radioactive waste on our vulnerable earthquake active coast, by 2020.

There are five ways you can help end radioactive waste production on California's earthquake active coast:

1) Send the action letter in this message
2) Attend the Califoria Energy Commission workshop on the future of nuclear power as part of California's energy mix Aug 15/16 in Sacramento
3) Watch the CEC webcast Audio of this meeting, broadcast over the Internet. For details, please go to: www.energy.ca.gov/webcast/
4) Call in to the CEC workshop. To arrange for a call in and participate in the meeting, please call (888) 323-9686 by 9:00 a.m. Passcode: WORKSHOP Call Leader: Peggy Falgoust
5) If you are an organization and would like to be a signatory to the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility's comments, contact: rochelle@a4nr.org

Thousands of tons of high-level radioactive waste are currently stored in our state. The 20 year nuclear experiment can end with current licenses, IF you are prepared to help. Please support the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibilities mission to create legislation to prohibit license renewals for Diablo Canyon and San Onofre.

Thank you!

Your Address

Wed, 10 Aug 2005

Our state is in a position to be the first state in the nation to prohibit license renewals for aging nuclear plants. Nuclear plants which sit precariously on California’s earthquake active and vulnerable coast.

While the Nuclear Regulatory Commission bars states from decision-making on the safety of nuclear plants, it cannot prohibit California from addressing issues of reliability, cost, and economic risk. California law does not allow new nuclear plants to be built until there is a safe and permanent solution to the storage of high-level radioactive waste.

The need for state action was highlighted in the recently passed energy bill which is an affront to the American public. It provides subsidies and tax-credits for new nuclear plants but fails to include adequate funding for renewable technology. It forces the United States to continue its dependence on foreign oil, while degrading our country’s environment by continuing to drill and mine using outdated energy technologies. California’s senators and a majority of congressional representatives stood firm in their determination to speak out against such a short-sighted federal energy policy.

I (we) support the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility's call for legislation that will stop the build up of high-level radioactive waste on our precious coast. I (we) ask our state and local elected officials to take the next logical step and create a forward-looking energy policy, to serve as an example for our nation. California has the chance to go from the laughing stock of the nation on energy issues to the leader.

Phasing out aging nuclear plants with sustainable and renewable technology will provide good jobs, new infrastructure, new property taxes, and new technology. The opportunities for California to benefit from a renewable energy boom are boundless. The state’s long-term planning on energy will provide direct positive consequences to California’s economy.

As ratepayers I (we) remember that the original estimated costs for San Onofre and Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plants were under $600 million each. The final price tags were over $5.7 billion each.

In 2004, Southern California Edison and PG&E filed applications to replace cracking steam generators at a cost of close to $2 billion to California ratepayers. Ironically both facilities are buying their replacement generators from foreign countries detracting from the economic benefit of this project. There is little doubt that ratepayers will be asked to pay for other aging component replacements and security enhancements. And no guarantee exists to limit the costs of continuing to operate nuclear reactors at a time when other sources of energy might provide cheaper, safer, and more efficient electricity.

I (we) ask our governor and our state legislators to consider all the opportunities of phasing out nuclear plants: new jobs, new technologies, and new property taxes while decreasing the state's deficit. Phasing nuclear plants out will assure an end to the production of high-level radioactive waste now sitting on our fragile earthquake active coast.

Four nuclear power reactors have been shutdown in California; four remain. Now is the time to begin planning for replacement of nuclear generation and its byproduct of high-level radioactive waste stored in our state. The four remaining nuclear plants produce 4,000 MW of energy that can be replaced easily with conservation, increasing the use of sustainable energy, and by developing new technologies. In this way California can phase out production of nuclear waste on our coast in 20 years or less.

Your Comment

Sincerely,

Your Name Your Email
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