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California needs to embrace nuclear power

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California needs to embrace nuclear power


The conduct of California’s ruling class has been the reason for a lot astonishment. Just lately, in its infinite knowledge, a bunch of California regulators decreed that by 2035, the sale of all gasoline and diesel-fueled motor autos will probably be banned within the state. All new automotive purchases have to be electrical, irrespective of how unaffordable they’re or how unprepared California’s infrastructure is to accommodate them.

Just lately, amid an unprecedented warmth wave that’s straining California’s energy grid to the breaking level, the administration of stated grid requested electrical automotive homeowners to keep away from charging their autos throughout peak energy demand durations.

If these two competing mandates appear loopy to you, you aren’t alone. Happily, there’s a answer to California’s energy woes. The truth is, that answer presents itself with the uncommon wise determination that Sacramento not too long ago took to increase the lifetime of the Diablo Canyon nuclear energy plant till a minimum of 2030. Somebody apparently acknowledged that eliminating a tenth of California’s energy capability with no prepared method to exchange it’s a unhealthy concept.

For some years, California has launched into a headlong effort to modify the state’s energy grid to renewable sources, similar to photo voltaic and wind. The reasoning was that if the state eliminates vegetation that run on carbon-emitting coal and pure fuel, California will probably be doing its half to fight what some imagine is an existential risk to the planet.

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But when the aim is to eradicate carbon dioxide, California’s decommissioning of carbon-free nuclear energy vegetation has been puzzling. Nuclear energy vegetation don’t emit greenhouse gases. Not like photo voltaic and wind, nuclear energy runs 24/7 with out the necessity for sophisticated power storage expertise.

Those that object to nuclear energy carry up the accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima as causes to keep away from reliance on that expertise. Nonetheless, every of these accidents had particular causes that each different nuclear energy plant has prevented. Nuclear energy is definitely safer than fossil gas energy, contemplating the well being and environmental results of emissions.

The issue of storing nuclear waste, similar to spent gas rods, is each technically troublesome and politically controversial. Nonetheless, one answer to the issue is to recycle the waste into nuclear gas. America doesn’t recycle nuclear waste because of a 1977 determination by President Jimmy Carter, however Nice Britain, France, and Japan achieve this with appreciable success.

Within the meantime, an organization known as TerraPower is creating a brand new type of nuclear energy plant utilizing a expertise known as Natrium,
in line with CNBC
. Natrium nuclear energy vegetation use liquid sodium relatively than water as a cooling agent. The expertise is much less vulnerable to catastrophic meltdowns than typical nuclear energy. The facility vegetation produce much less nuclear waste. The primary Natrium nuclear energy plant is because of begin producing energy in Kemmerer, Wyoming, in 2028.

The TerraPower expertise has challenges, a few of them regulatory, a few of them technical. The corporate should leap by way of many regulatory hoops to get approval for the Kemmerer plant. The U.S. just isn’t but in a position to enrich uranium sufficiently to energy a Natrium nuclear energy plant on an industrial scale. This energy plant will generate 345 megawatts of energy, roughly one-third of the Diablo Canyon plant’s capability, although it will possibly surge to 500 megawatts throughout peak demand durations.

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Lastly, the Kemmerer nuclear energy plant will price $4 billion to construct. TerraPower hopes to get the fee right down to $1 billion for subsequent energy vegetation.

Nuclear energy vegetation, particularly these constructed with newer expertise, are the answer to California’s power disaster. The expertise may additionally be a political winner for California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom, it’s rumored, wish to run for president in 2024. At the moment, the case for his candidacy may be very weak, contemplating all of California’s self-inflicted woes. But when Newsom embraces nuclear energy and begins including it to California’s grid, the argument for electing him president turns into significantly much less absurd.

Mark Whittington, who incessantly writes about area and politics, is the creator of
Why is America Going Again to the Moon?
He blogs at Curmudgeons Nook.





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Powerball champ Edwin Castro soars through California 10K race days after being cleared of theft allegations

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Powerball champ Edwin Castro soars through California 10K race days after being cleared of theft allegations


Talk about taking your money and running.

Powerball winner Edwin Castro charged through a California 10K race Saturday morning — days after a judge cleared him of allegations he stole his record-breaking $2.04 billion ticket.

The free man, 31, soared through the Manhattan Beach 10k run in 1 hour, 1 minute and 42 seconds, race results show.

Edwin Castro ran in Manhattan Beach’s annual 10k race. Rafael Fontoura for NY Post
Castro went to Village Runner to join the 47th annual Manhattan Beach 10k Marathon this Saturday morning. Rafael Fontoura for NY Post

Castro’s 9:55 per-mile average made him the 1,772nd overall finisher out of 3,612 racers.

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That also landed him the 189th spot for the male 30-34 age bracket, which had 255 total runners.

The Post caught Castro looking slightly distressed as he picked up his race bib Friday.

The lottery winner was spotted frowning as he looked down at his phone in one hand, with his racing number in his other.

Castro finished in just over one hour. Rafael Fontoura for NY Post

It’s not clear how much the billionaire donated toward the annual race, which raised $750,000 that typically goes toward funding community centers and public spaces.

Entry costs topped off at $50 for the 2024 race, meaning Castro may have at least handed over a Ulysses S. Grant bill.

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The race comes four days after a California judge tossed out a lawsuit by Jose Rivera that alleged Castro stole the winning ticket from him back in 2022.

A judge ruled Tuesday that Castro was the true winner of his record-breaking $2.04 billion ticket.

The judge ruled that “players are solely responsible for securing their tickets against theft, loss, damage, or destruction.”

It means Castro no longer has to fight to prove he is the rightful owner of the jackpot, the biggest in US history.

Castro nabbed the life-changing jackpot in November 2022, and opted for the lump sum payout of $997.7 million.

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Miami-California free livestream: How to watch Cam Ward tonight, TV, schedule

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Miami-California free livestream: How to watch Cam Ward tonight, TV, schedule


The No. 8 Miami Hurricanes play against the California Golden Bears in a college football game tonight. The matchup will begin at 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

Miami enters this matchup with a 5-0 record, and the team is coming off a close 38-34 win against Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes almost conceded a touchdown pass in the final seconds of the game, but the pass was ruled incomplete.

During the victory, Miami accrued 508 total yards. The team’s star quarterback Cam Ward threw for 343 yards and four touchdowns, which helped the Hurricanes overcome a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Notably, Ward has thrown for 18 touchdowns and more than 1,700 yards this season, so he will look to continue his success tonight.

California enters this matchup with a 3-1 record, but the team has a 0-1 record in conference play. In their last game, California lost 14-9 against Florida State.

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During the loss, California was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. The team accrued more than 400 total yards, but they missed two field goals and never scored a touchdown. The California offense will try to bounce back with a better performance tonight.

Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.



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Newsom gives $131M more to clear homeless encampments to CA cities, counties

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Newsom gives 1M more to clear homeless encampments to CA cities, counties


Gov.Gavin Newsom is hoping his latest round of homeless encampment resolution funding will not just help clear the state’s sidewalks — but also hold cities and counties more accountable for making it happen.

Newsom on Friday doled out $130.7 million to 12 cities and six counties, aiming to clear homeless encampments and provide shelter, care and support. Among the recipients are Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Pasadena and Los Angeles cities, but missing this round was Los Angeles County.

Newsom said L.A. County’s absence is not an oversight, nor is it a political maneuver.

“A disproportionate share has gone to L.A. City and L.A. County, as well as their C.O.C. (Continuum of Care), so they’ve been well resourced,” Newsom said. “It’s not intentional. I wouldn’t read between the lines.”

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L.A. County received $51 million of homelessness funding from the state in May.

Newsom said so far, the state’s $1 billion encampment resolution program has doled out more than $737 million to clear encampments across California.

As part of this latest round of funding, Newsom said he’s also stepped up accountability measures and promised to claw back funding if the cities or counties fail to meet the requirements. The new standards, he said, are essential to reduce encampments and reclaim California’s public spaces.

Related story: Newsom makes good on threats against Norwalk for its ban on homeless shelters

“We need to re-democratize our streets and do it in a compassionate way, with our values intact, support the people who are out there and the underlying causes,” Newsom said. “But, we need to take back the streets.”

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Newsom said the encampment resolution program is working. Since July, 991 encampments have been removed and more than 12,000 have been removed over the past three years.

Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.



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