Comment by _aavaa_ | Hacker News Reader

Comment by _aavaa_ | Hacker News Reader

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California has a very high electricity costs, but it isn't because of renewables. There are many states which have much higher renewables penetration than California, but do not have its high prices [0].

> They shut down the nuclear pathway and pushed "renewables".

Part of it is due to Diablo Canyon. And I agree that shutting down existing nuclear is a questionable idea given that the majority of the cost is upfront. As for why it wasn't pursued further, one only has to look at the absolute bungling of Vogtl or Hinkley point.

Part is due to forest fire measures (as are the blackouts) [1].

They also still use a large amount of natural gas[2], which is particularly expensive in the state.

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_renewab... [1]: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/california-regul... [2]: https://www.caiso.com/todays-outlook/supply#section-supply-t...

Diablo Canyon was a Gen I/II design from the 1950's/60's. Gen IV designs are far safer and cleaner, Thorium designs in particular, however they don't generate byproducts for nuclear weapons (boohoo), which is why the Thorium pathway was not taken.

If electricity was cheap it would give people inducements to use electric vehicles and appliances. It would be a market driven transition to these things instead of a policy driven one, which is doomed to fail as soon as the subsidies end.

> Gen IV designs are far safer and cleaner

Gen IV reactors are, for the most part, somewhere between a pipe dream and a spreadsheet. China is the only country to have built one, and we don't have clear view at its cost.

> Thorium ... which is why the Thorium pathway was not taken.

Pipe dream + tin foil hat thinking

> If electricity was cheap it would give people inducements to use electric vehicles

Electric cars are cheaper per mile driven in most places, especially if you charge at home.

> It would be a market driven transition to these things instead of a policy driven one

Policies create all markets. See for example the implicit subsidies granted to ICE cars by a either a total lack of carbon price (or outright ban on their pollution like that on leaded gasoline).

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