Cue the keening climate cultish chorus, and let the lamentations commence.

The California Energy Commission and – for whatever reason – the State Water Resources Control Board have voted to commute the imminent death sentences of three CA coastal, gas fired power plants. They are extending their steamy little lives through 2026.

The votes were – get this phrasing – controversial and UNANIMOUS. HAH! What does that tell you?

Everyone could read the blackout/grid failure writing on the wall.

California officials agreed today to extend operations at three natural gas plants on the Southern California coast in an effort to shore up California’s straining power grid and avoid rolling blackouts.

The controversial and unanimous vote that keeps the plants open came from the State Water Resources Control Board, which oversees the phaseout of natural gas facilities that suck in seawater and kill marine life.

Seawater-cooled units at three power plants in Long Beach, Huntington Beach and Oxnard will be kept in reserve for three more years to feed energy into the state’s grid during power emergencies, such as the 10-day heatwave last August and September that led to statewide power alerts. The plants had been slated to cease operations of those units by the end of 2020, but received a three-year extension amid rolling blackouts that summer.

Now that extension has been extended again — through 2026. A fourth, the Scattergood Generating Station in Playa Del Rey, will receive a five-year extension to fill regional supply gaps though 2029.

I wonder if Randall Flagg-lite, CA Gov Gavin Newsom, will do a photo-op at one of these facilities the way he did at the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant this fall. He had a momentary reality check, and saved it – the last nuclear power plant in CA – from shutting down, too.

And the Climate Cultists of CA are such hypocrites in any event. For all the squawking about nuclear, and the absolute hissy fit they threw over extending the life of Diablo Canyon’s license (which provides enough power for a paltry 3 million people), they sure don’t mind taking nuclear generated power from the states around them when their grid has to purchase extra trons, as it so often does.

The well funded, uber-vocal green NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) and BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) crowd also has little appreciation for how much of their vegan bacon is saved by these much reviled gas-fired plants, as solar and wind – whatever the excuses made for them and they make plenty – simply are not cutting the mustard.

…Nuclear power accounted for 9.3% of California’s electricity in 2020; natural gas was by far the primary source at about 37%, according to the California Energy Commission.

…Most of California’s nuclear energy is generated by Diablo Canyon, but it also imports nuclear-powered electricity from Arizona and Washington state, according to the California Energy Commission.

…California imports more electricity than any other state — about 30% of its supply in 2020, including some from coal-fired plants that are larges sources of greenhouse gases, according to the California Energy Commission.

Gosh. Here I thought renewables were so great. And CA now has to purchase go juice, when they used to produce so much they could sell it.

Amazing.

Needless to say, hearts are broken all over the Green World at this news. They range from furious to resigned, and, as I said, excuse making for why their sacred renewables haven’t saved the state from steamy death yet, even as the world is on fye-yah.

…At the same time, the world kept getting hotter and more flammable, resulting in more aggressive heat waves and wildfires…

The LA Times emoter reporter who wrote those sad words, sheesh. I mean, you can literally hear him spit out “Newsom’s APPOINTEES” every time he types the words – I am sure he’s snarling as he plinks away.

David had a terrific piece earlier today on the poor, tortured soul and his climate crusade.

To CA cultists, “Get off my lawn” becomes “Give UP your lawn” without missing a beat. Then everyone in the comments picks on the guy who points out you could all water your lawns if you used nuclear plants to their full potential.

Well…if you had any.

Can you imagine how many greenhouse gas emissions could have been saved if CA hadn't been shutting down its nuclear power plants? Cheap energy would mean that desalination plants would be very practical. Instead, CA has the highest electricity rates in the continental USA.

— Dean Dykema (@Dean_Dykema) August 13, 2023

You can hear the heads exploding.

But the Dutch Belgians are finding out what Californians are in denial about – when you shut down your cleanest, most reliable source of power generation? Your costs go through the roof, you cannot make up the difference in lost generation, and the greenhouse emissions you do it all in the name of reducing?

Go up.

Experts are pointing to Belgium’s nuclear phase-out as the culprit for a 13% increase in CO2 emission from electricity generation.

Europe's nuclear phase-out means when intermittent renewables can’t cut it, coal and gas have to pick up the slack. #CostOfNetZero… pic.twitter.com/gRKoRgsozF

— Net Zero Watch (@NetZeroWatch) August 16, 2023

A total of 13% more CO2 emissions came from electricity production in Belgium in the first half of the year, compared to the same period the year before.

This is a significant increase and experts are pointing to Belgium’s nuclear phase-out as the culprit.

…Energy generation is therefore more polluting in Belgium than in neighbouring France (72 grams), which now produces a much higher proportion of energy from nuclear. However, Germany (486 grams) and the Netherlands (349 grams) are still more polluting due to their sustained use of coal-fired power plants.

And then the Captain Obvious explanation for people who need a pie chart…

…Emissions tend to decrease as Belgium enters periods of weather which are more conducive for the use of renewable energy. Last year was relatively sunny, while this year has so far been windier, especially in July. This is reflected in the emissions statistics.

Go figure.

Math and Green #feelz are like oil and water.