Atomic Safety Board Listens to Arguments on Diablo Canyon - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Atomic Safety Board Listens to Arguments on Diablo Canyon

5.26.10

SAN LUIS OBISPO - Representatives for PG&E and the San Luis Obispo County chapter of "Mothers for Peace" square off.

They're fighting over the future of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.

The meeting is an opportunity for the mothers for peace to convince the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that they have valid safety and environmental concerns that need to be addressed.

"We have a responsibility to future generations," says Mothers for Peace representative Jane Swanson.

It's a cry for help and an opportunity to turn the lights out on PG&E's Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.

Representatives from the San Luis Obispo chapter of Mothers for Peace and PG&E took to the podium in front of the atomic safety and licensing board.

Both sides put forth arguments for and against a license renewal at Diablo.

"These judges are demonstrating their independence and really grilling all of the parties involved here," says Victor Dricks with the NRC.

Mothers for Peace believe there are serious safety issues that need to be looked at thoroughly ... in a trial ... before the plant is relicensed.

PG&E argues they are not relative issues.

"They don't think we have raised issues that could be heard in a trial and so the board has to decide whether to hold a hearing on our concerns," says Mothers for Peace Attorney Diane Curran.

"This is just 1 step in the license renewal process," says PG&E representative Kory Raftery. "They're going to take everyone's arguments into consideration."

Four of the five issues deal with the threats earthquakes pose to the safety of the plant.

The fifth has to do with the ability of plant operators to deal with aging components.

Once the board has a chance to look over all the arguments they will make a decision on whether or not to go to trial.