California is clueless about what comes next after iconic nuclear plant demolition

The news is that the twin domes at the San Onofre nuclear power plant are finally being demolished.As The California Post has reported, the infamous “nuclear boobs,” which greeted (and distracted) drivers along the Interstate 5 for many decades, are going to be demolished.What’s not in the news: Any mention of future nuclear power plants.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story The San Onofre plant was shut down in 2013, partly due to its age.It was built in the 1960s, and its newest units were already 30 years old.What really killed it was an event that happened on the other side of the world: the devastating tsunami of 2011 in Japan, which caused meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant.Like Fukushima, the San Onofre plant was right on the water’s edge.

And it was close enough to population centers for many people in the area to feel suddenly uncomfortable about it.California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!But when San Onofre was taken offline, Southern California lost nearly a fifth of its electricity generating capacity.Nothing has replaced it — not even close.Today, the state is down to one aging nuclear power plant, in Diablo Canyon — which is constantly on the verge of being closed.That’s a recipe for failure — as the state’s energy needs ramp up, thanks to the growth of AI and the electrification of California’s vehicle fleet.Nuclear power has historically been a key part of California’s energy mix.You’d think nuclear power would be even more important today, because it provide...