In Brief
AFFORDABLE ENERGY
On August 17th, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) met with labor, clean energy, and environmental and consumer advocates for a roundtable of the House Democrats Gas & Utilities Affordability Working Group in Del Mar Town Hall. The group discussed how to tackle rising energy costs and potential solutions to the country’s energy challenges. The participants shared ideas on how to lower energy costs and proposed potential legislative solutions.
Energy prices are rising rapidly in California, straining many households’ budgets. Legacy utilities like San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) are making huge profits, while their rates are the highest in the continental US. Over 20% of SDG&E customers are behind on their payments. Customers are being charged for wildfire damage caused by SDG&E equipment, while SDG&E investors earn a guaranteed profit and are shielded from liability.
The legislative actions proposed by the Working Group, which were not revealed at the press conference following the closed meeting, will depend on the Democrats seizing control of the House of Representatives after the November midterm elections.
NUCLEAR WASTE STRANDED
An all-day symposium on August 20th sponsored by the Samuel Lawrence Foundation focused on what to do about the nuclear waste stranded at the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). Among the many experts testifying, Representatives Mike Levin (D-49th) and Scott Peters (D-50th) provided updates on federal actions relating to removing and storing nuclear waste. They both hoped that the storage cannisters would be moved to an interim or permanent storage facility within 10-15 years. They differed on another important issue: how small, modular nuclear reactors might contribute to future energy needs despite their generation of even more radioactive waste. Rep. Peters was all in for the new technology, even if it takes 10 years or more for commercially viable reactors to reach the marketplace, while Rep. Levin was much more cautious about how to deal with the impacts of adding more nuclear to the nation’s energy mix. Meanwhile, local ratepayers continue to contribute to the nuclear waste cleanup fund, but continued delays may well mean that the fund will be exhausted before the SONGS waste is finally moved.