As a lifelong Californian, I have been struck by the unprecedented challenges that the state is experiencing. In the midst of a global pandemic, Californians are facing extreme weather conditions, drought, warming temperatures, intense wildfires and record amounts of smoke.
Recently, a rare set of thunderstorms unleashed some 300 simultaneous wildfires into our hot, drought-weakened environment. Despite the efforts of thousands of brave firefighters, we already have lost more land to wildfires this year than any previous year, and we are only part way into the California “fire season.”
And while the rest of the country is reading and watching these events unfold from thousands of miles away, I have a closer view.
California is my home. I have lived here nearly all my life. It’s where I received my engineering degree, where I played college basketball for the University of California, Berkeley, and where I started my career with the nuclear energy industry. More importantly, it’s where my kids and grandkids live and where I hope their lives can flourish.
California is my home. More importantly, it's where my kids and grandkids live and where I hope their lives can flourish.
Periodic high temperatures and wildfires are nothing new to this region, but 10 years ago, wildfires were generally isolated incidents. Recent history has shown what scientists have been warning us about: these extreme events will only get worse. And that’s concerning.
As someone in the electricity business, overseeing the largest source of carbon-free electricity in the U.S., I know how important it is to ensure we have a resilient, carbon-free energy system that will accommodate the most extreme and dire weather events we anticipate.
Our entire society is built on access to electricity, which is even more evident as we all go about our lives during a pandemic—and for me, this is coupled with wildfires and rising temperatures. Together, these events have resulted in extreme surges of electricity demand, leaving California’s energy system without adequate supply to power homes, businesses and emergency centers.
We must have a resilient energy system, but we also need a carbon-free energy system. California is no stranger to leading the way with ambitious climate and energy goals. I applaud these goals. But in efforts to achieve a carbon-free energy grid, California is steering toward a future solely reliant on intermittent technologies.
We can’t ask solar to do all the work. As we saw this summer, we also can’t predict all the elements that will make it difficult to bring electricity in from neighboring states or hamper the ability of specific generation sources.
We should follow California’s lead to do everything we can to help stabilize the climate, but we must do it smartly.
So, while California is making a commendable decision to be more forward thinking in reaching our climate goals, it will take all carbon-free technologies available to create the future energy system we need.
We should follow California’s lead to do everything we can to help stabilize the climate, but we must do it smartly. That means building an energy grid that is both carbon-free and resilient to meet demand 24/7. That means wind, solar, hydro and nuclear, along with a future that will bring us battery storage and carbon capture technologies.
Thanks to the innovators and entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley, California is known for first-of-a-kind ideas that have transformed our way of life. If we take that same approach with always-on energy sources like small modular reactors and next generation nuclear technologies, we can help transform our future electricity sector with innovation. It will also ensure the preservation of our famous beaches and national treasures like Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park.
And while nuclear energy is currently a modest part of the state’s generation today, it provides a firm foundation for the grid. We Californians can join in the same forward-thinking steps other states and companies have taken. Policymakers in Washington and North Carolina and companies including Google are paving a path to decarbonizing our electric grid, recognizing the need for reliable generating sources like nuclear power.
It will take all carbon-free technologies available to create the future energy system we need.
By leading this type of energy transformation, my home state could ensure a major piece of infrastructure we all depend on is both carbon-free and able to run smoothly 24/7.
And I’ll keep doing my part to ensure that our nuclear plants continue to run steady, delivering carbon-free power around-the-clock and that future nuclear technologies are deployed and ready to aid California, along with the rest of the world, in this important effort.
