Put Carbon Price on Natural Gas
Fresno Bee August 15, 2021
My Congressman, Devin Nunes, recently introduced HR 4394, the Clean Energy Protection Act, mandating continued operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
All 10 California Republican Representatives are cosponsors.
I agree closing Diablo Canyon is a mistake; probably leading to more use of natural gas plants. Keeping it would allow new solar and wind power to replace fossil fuels. Nuclear actually works well in tandem with intermittent renewable sources.
I respect my fellow environmentalists who are leery of nuclear power, but many are changing their minds. The Union of Concerned Scientists is just one organization giving qualified support of nuclear energy as better than coal or gas power plants.
But no bill is helpful unless it passes. Demanding Diablo Canyon stay open, “notwithstanding” California laws, will attract no Democratic votes. Other Republican initiatives, such as streamlining regulations, and developing safer nuclear designs, could be bipartisan.
The best policy to help nuclear power is a price on carbon. It was PG&E that requested shutdown for economic reasons, largely cheap natural gas. But gas is “subsidized” unless it pays a price for damage to our climate from CO2 and methane. A carbon price establishes market-based competition to eliminate these greenhouse gases.
Devin Carroll
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