Editor:
California Gov. Newsom “loaned” PG&E $1.4 billion for five or six years of nuclear power (“Conflicted RCEA Board Passes on Nuclear Power,” Oct. 3)? I have many questions about taxpayer money being used for this purpose. What is the interest rate and how long is the loan for and where did the funds come from in the state budget? Obviously, we PG&E rate payers will have to pay the loan. This is for running Diablo Canyon power plant for five or six years more? It’s a pretty bad return on investment when you consider solar lasts at least 20 years. It is a stupid idea to begin with and I think RCEA should take the funds and invest it locally to encourage local solar energy projects. PG&E and the PUC no longer encourage solar power on homes, apartments, businesses, schools, parking lots because it impacts PG&E’s profits while reducing demand for their distribution system. Better yet, why don’t we start or join a micro grid system. Nuclear has got to go. We have enough nuclear waste here.
Dennis Sala, McKinleyville
This article appears in Combating the Barred Owl Invasion.