Who'll Protest The New Power Plant?
The issue of a replacement for the aging Humboldt Bay Power Plant comes up again. One question I have is who's going to protest the construction when it begins? You just know someone or some group is going to come up with some reason it shouldn't be built. That's what happens everywhere in the state, whenever a new power plant is proposed.
Any best guesses?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:46 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
It'll ruin the environment! Why can't we just live without electricity?
Ok. There's the first one. That's not quite the same as writing a letter to the editor or, better yet, making up a sign and protesting in front of HBPP or the County Courthouse. That's a start, though.
Don't worry! City of Arcata will protest this with letters and Dave Meserve! Because Dave Meserve stands for ME SERVE (myself)
Actually, Dave Meserve is on the HBPP Community advisory committee. He's out at the plant often....
..so he will be linking arms and writing letters? Chaining himself to the fence? Or just keep on looking like a goofy git?
The new plants, along with no longer needing to suck water out of the bay, heating it up, then puttin' it back (think fish larva), will be about 40% more efficient. And will dramatically reduce the amount of 'stuff' heading "up the stack"....
He should be 'for' it....
Smart money is on NorthCoast Environmental's always reliable Tim McKay.
I want my LNG. And they should build it right on a fault line. That'll show those dumb hippies.
The Unions:
http://www.abc.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=4596
Anonymous said...
The Unions:
http://www.abc.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=4596
That could possibly happen if PG&E wasn't a Union Shop...But since they are, any work done has to be at union wage.
From my own experience, having worked at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant for 8 1/2 years as a security guard, even the contractors PG&E hires are paid quite well.
In fact, the security guards were paid well, at least after a certain point. We worked for Burns Security. When I first started there we were making a buck or two over minimum wage, if memory serves me correct. Then, after a couple years, PG&E got tired of the high turnover with security guards, it made them look bad with the NRC, HBPP being a nuclear facility.
So, I came back from annual training with the National Guard one year and the turnover had been so high in just a couple of weeks, it boosted me way up in seniority. Not long after that, our pay was raised to $10 an hour. Quite good pay at the time. We still ended up with a fairly high turnover; more than you'd think you'd have for that kind of pay.
Nevertheless, the writing was on the wall as we were in the process of decomissioning. Eventually the layoffs came. I was just high enough in seniority I could have stayed on as the relief guard, but chose to move on. Those that ended up staying were finally moved in house a few years ago and work for PG&E now. They make $20 an hour plus benefits now.
Yes, Bill G., as Fred said, even if they hire non-union contractors.
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