Well done. I come from a more conservative world and I’ve also been in and around fossil fuels my entire life. I’ve had nothing against any of the renewables but I hate the way our state has wanted to abandon reliable, affordable energy sources before we have something reliable and affordable to replace them. Nuclear is an interesting and good option. Thank you for your common sense speech.
Thank you for your well thought-out Colorado energy commentary which I agree with wholeheartedly. I'm also impressed that the Colorado PUC allowed you to remotely comment for five minutes during their *weekly* meeting! The California PUC (CPUC) is far more insular with far less frequent public meetings. I've been a practitioner before the CPUC for about nine years. While I've submitted thousands of pages of written materials during that period, I've only been able to address them ONCE for about five minutes. I had to give my testimony in person after driving more than 200 miles to San Francisco, California. Here's my recent update which underscores the importance of Diablo Canyon (Nuclear) Power Plant for California electric grid stability. Please share this information with the Colorado PUC.
____________
Comparison of DCPP's Synchronous Grid Inertia (SGI) to Helms Pumped Storage
DCPP is the greatest contributor to California in-state Synchronous Grid Inertia (SGI)
Kenneth Kaminski, who worked at DCPP for more than 30 years informed me that I had an incorrect value for the rotating mass for each DCPP generator. The total rotating mass of a DCPP generator and turbines is an unprecedented 500 tons, not the 50 tons that I used. That means each DCPP generator produces roughly 75 times the SGI as each Helms Pumped Storage generator. There are two generators at DCPP. DCPP's SGI is far more important for California than I initially calculated. Keep Diablo Canyon running!
That's the way a PUC should be conducting business. I wish California's PUC was more welcoming. I just sat through a 2-hour-long online CPUC intervenors meeting yesterday. The CPUC continues to erect more barriers to public participation. :-(
Something that's mindbloggling, especially post COVID where Zoom has become such a staple, is how closed off much of the CA government is when it comes to ability to testify remotely.
On the other hand, CA's Public Records Laws are far better than Colorado's.
In Colorado any request over an hour results in a charge and that's often used as a deterrent. There are a few bills in the legislature right now intending on making it even more difficult for regular people to file requests.
Here's some good news David regarding Colorado HB 1040's enactment on March 30, 2025. Your advocacy played a positive role. This is from https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1040
HB25-1040
Adding Nuclear Energy as a Clean Energy Resource
Concerning the inclusion of nuclear energy as a source of clean energy.
SESSION: 2025 Regular Session
SUBJECT: Energy
BILL SUMMARY
The statutory definition of "clean energy" determines which energy projects are eligible for clean energy project financing at the county and city and county level. The statutory definition of "clean energy resource" determines which energy resources may be used by a qualifying retail utility to meet the 2050 clean energy target. The bill updates the 2 statutory definitions to include nuclear energy; except that for property valuations made for tax purposes, the bill exempts from the definition of "clean energy resource" nuclear energy.
For an example of how the California Public Utilities Commission *discourages* knowledgeable and interested public participation in their policy deliberations, please see Gene Nelson, Ph.D.'s 30 March 2025 Substack post, "CGNP Criticizes the CPUC's Role in High California Electric Rates -
The CPUC's absolute power harms ratepayers and the environment"
I agree, well done. I especially like the part where you point out that 24/7 combined cycle gas is better than the combination of solar and single cycle gas. My question is whether you, or anyone you know, have done an actual analysis that demonstrates this conclusion.
Thanks David....I was already aware of this, and it makes a compelling case against wind. I would like to see a stand-alone analysis that makes the explicit comparison of combined cycle gas vs single cycle gas/solar.
Well done. I come from a more conservative world and I’ve also been in and around fossil fuels my entire life. I’ve had nothing against any of the renewables but I hate the way our state has wanted to abandon reliable, affordable energy sources before we have something reliable and affordable to replace them. Nuclear is an interesting and good option. Thank you for your common sense speech.
Thank you for your well thought-out Colorado energy commentary which I agree with wholeheartedly. I'm also impressed that the Colorado PUC allowed you to remotely comment for five minutes during their *weekly* meeting! The California PUC (CPUC) is far more insular with far less frequent public meetings. I've been a practitioner before the CPUC for about nine years. While I've submitted thousands of pages of written materials during that period, I've only been able to address them ONCE for about five minutes. I had to give my testimony in person after driving more than 200 miles to San Francisco, California. Here's my recent update which underscores the importance of Diablo Canyon (Nuclear) Power Plant for California electric grid stability. Please share this information with the Colorado PUC.
____________
Comparison of DCPP's Synchronous Grid Inertia (SGI) to Helms Pumped Storage
DCPP is the greatest contributor to California in-state Synchronous Grid Inertia (SGI)
GENE NELSON, Ph.D.
MAR 24, 2025
https://greennuke.substack.com/p/comparison-of-dcpps-sgi-to-helms
Kenneth Kaminski, who worked at DCPP for more than 30 years informed me that I had an incorrect value for the rotating mass for each DCPP generator. The total rotating mass of a DCPP generator and turbines is an unprecedented 500 tons, not the 50 tons that I used. That means each DCPP generator produces roughly 75 times the SGI as each Helms Pumped Storage generator. There are two generators at DCPP. DCPP's SGI is far more important for California than I initially calculated. Keep Diablo Canyon running!
I don't think the Colorado PUC often has anyone to speak in the opening public comments. They we're quite welcoming.
That's the way a PUC should be conducting business. I wish California's PUC was more welcoming. I just sat through a 2-hour-long online CPUC intervenors meeting yesterday. The CPUC continues to erect more barriers to public participation. :-(
Something that's mindbloggling, especially post COVID where Zoom has become such a staple, is how closed off much of the CA government is when it comes to ability to testify remotely.
On the other hand, CA's Public Records Laws are far better than Colorado's.
In Colorado any request over an hour results in a charge and that's often used as a deterrent. There are a few bills in the legislature right now intending on making it even more difficult for regular people to file requests.
Sadly, the cockroaches that don't like sunlight would be expected to increase the difficulty for public records requests.
Well done.
Good job, I hope it has some sway.
Here's some good news David regarding Colorado HB 1040's enactment on March 30, 2025. Your advocacy played a positive role. This is from https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1040
HB25-1040
Adding Nuclear Energy as a Clean Energy Resource
Concerning the inclusion of nuclear energy as a source of clean energy.
SESSION: 2025 Regular Session
SUBJECT: Energy
BILL SUMMARY
The statutory definition of "clean energy" determines which energy projects are eligible for clean energy project financing at the county and city and county level. The statutory definition of "clean energy resource" determines which energy resources may be used by a qualifying retail utility to meet the 2050 clean energy target. The bill updates the 2 statutory definitions to include nuclear energy; except that for property valuations made for tax purposes, the bill exempts from the definition of "clean energy resource" nuclear energy.
The 6-page bill text is at https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2025a_1040_signed.pdf
For an example of how the California Public Utilities Commission *discourages* knowledgeable and interested public participation in their policy deliberations, please see Gene Nelson, Ph.D.'s 30 March 2025 Substack post, "CGNP Criticizes the CPUC's Role in High California Electric Rates -
The CPUC's absolute power harms ratepayers and the environment"
https://greennuke.substack.com/p/cgnp-criticizes-the-cpucs-role-in
I agree, well done. I especially like the part where you point out that 24/7 combined cycle gas is better than the combination of solar and single cycle gas. My question is whether you, or anyone you know, have done an actual analysis that demonstrates this conclusion.
Yes I have - https://liberalandlovingit.substack.com/p/is-wind-energy-a-chimera
thanks - dave
Thanks David....I was already aware of this, and it makes a compelling case against wind. I would like to see a stand-alone analysis that makes the explicit comparison of combined cycle gas vs single cycle gas/solar.