An aerial view of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and the vast mountainous open space that arounds the plant. Photo courtesy PG&E
Two residents of Estero Bay Area communities have joined the Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Panel making preparations for the eventual closure of the nuclear power plant.
Pacific Gas & Electric announced that three new members had been appointed to the panel. They are — John Crews of Morro Bay; Cory Jones of Atascadero; and Semu Torres of Los Osos. They begin their 3-year terms this month. Also, Linda Seeley of Los Osos was reappointed to the panel.
Crews is a Central Coast Native Son who earned a mechanical engineering degree from Cal Poly and has worked locally in general aviation, aerospace, and the onshore and offshore oil industry, according to PG&E. He and his wife have lived in Morro Bay for the past 18 years.
Torres was born on a private, Native American Reservation east of Santa Margarita, PG&E said. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Cal Poly and a master’s degree in “cross cultural language acquisition.” He’s taught in San Jose and Switzerland and returned to the Central Coast in 2017 where he “now serves as site coordinator for a public Montessori School in Morro Bay and recently completed his school administration credential.”
The Decommissioning Engagement Panel was formed in 2018 to work on preparations for the eventual closure and decommissioning of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
The Panel “was created to foster open and frequent dialogue between members of the local community and PG&E on matters related to DCPP decommissioning. Panelists are local community members from across the Central Coast who were selected to broadly represent diverse community viewpoints.”
When the plant finally closes, the disposition of the 12,000-acre property that includes coastal terraces, a rugged coastline with offshore rocks, oak woodlands, pasturelands and numerous Native American cultural sites, will have to be decided. What becomes of the vast property is the key element of the Panel’s work.
See: diablocanyonpanel.org for more information on the Decommissioning Engagement Panel.
