Nuking California

August 4, 2002

by Brian W. Peterson

So you want to create a long-term power crisis? Needed ingredients include 34 million people, a liberal helping of alternative energy, a cup of fear about the availability of fossil fuels, two heaping cups of global warming fears, and one - but be careful to add just one - governor who knows how to lock in rates at high levels for the foreseeable future. Now you are ready to bake at summer temperatures.

Most people believe that last year’s mess in California, which is unlikely to become this year’s mess after the Federal Energy Regulation Commission recently raised price cap levels, was the result of the Legislature’s and Governor Pete Wilson’s misguided re-regulation in 1996. Others believe that energy companies fixed the market, ignoring the fact that these same energy companies were the only entities willing to do business with California.

The energy problem in California will be around to haunt us for many years to come, regardless of who resides in the Governor’s Mansion in Sacramento. California is plagued by a persistent mindset that if only we would give alternative energy a chance and practice conservation, California will set an example for the rest of the nation.

Indeed, California is setting an example for the rest of that nation. The example is that of the dangers of wasting money and time listening to tales woven by the Birkenstock crowd. If California does not soon wake up to the necessity of nuclear energy, there will be a future population of 50 million souls without electricity.

California’s fixation with alternative energy goes back to the late 1970’s, when some folks were dreaming of gasohol. Those were the days when the future beckoned with many small “co-generation” plants that were envisioned to replace large electricity generation plants. It was going to be Utopia. Instead, we ended up with 34 million people and barely enough electricity to power their personal computers.

California ranks 50th in per-capita consumption of electricity but 49th in per-capita generation of electricity. We can go a long way in producing more electricity, but not much further in conservation. Last year, we conserved not because we were at one with Nature, but because we had to sell our cell phones and PDA’s in order to pay our electricity bills.

Three words scare people from supporting the operation of nuclear power plants: Three Mile Island. But those days are long gone. Utility companies have long-since sold off their nuclear power plants to private companies. Gone are the Byzantine codes and rules that dictated the bizarre assemblage of switches and contradictory indicator lights. Imagine having the ignition of your car accessible only in the back seat, while the controls for your side mirrors could only be adjusted from the trunk and you will understand the control rooms of nuclear plants in the days when TMI became famous.

The nuclear industry is still heavily regulated, but now results trump the processes of the bureaucracy. Safety is king, not rules for the sake of rules.

The state of Vermont receives 67% of its energy from nuclear power. Each year, tens of thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, and a million tons of carbon emissions do not enter the Vermont atmosphere thanks to nuclear power. Vermont, a small state with a low population, does not require the number of plants that California requires. But California, if it really wishes to avoid energy shortages into the next generation, can merely build nuclear power plants in proportion to the population.

Those concerned about supposed global warming, the real problem of air pollution in this state, and other quality of life issues should take note. Foreign oil? Our dependence would lessen. The alternative to nuclear power is not alternative energy; the alternative is not enough energy. We can ignorantly fear nuclear energy, but the price of ignorance is high.

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Brian W. Peterson writes a political column for the Antelope Valley Press (circulation approximately 60,000) in Palmdale, California. He is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, where he majored in TV/Film. Brian’s weekly commentary and newspaper columns can be found at www.LifeAndLiberty.com.

Send the author an E mail at Peterson@ConservativeTruth.org.

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