Having made risky, questionable and plain bad decisions for decades, Californians could see the poison fruits of their labor this summer as power generation will be exceeded by demand and power plants continue to go off-line. The latest hit is the San Onofre nuclear facility that has been taken off-line for maintenance. State energy officials have already warned of rotating blackouts in the region if a heat wave hits and San Onofre stays dark.
The problem is that the other power generating stations that could fill the gap have been closed down, like the natural gas plant in Huntington Beach, there is no plan to reopen them, and no new power stations are coming online, including the world’s largest solar field that Solar Trust for America was building in Riverside when the company filed for bankruptcy yesterday. So there is a lack of power generation.
The state’s independent operator is more positive and believes San Onofre will be back online in a month. However, environmental groups and local residents and officials are pressuring the NRC to shut down San Onofre permanently. If successful, Southern California would be assured of rolling blackouts this summer.