SEMPRA denies activists access to property to deliver letter outlining their concerns about the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant – (Or Marcia, Carol, Hugh and Ray’s magnificent adventure)
by Carol Jahnkow
May 19, 2012–Representatives of the Peace Resource Center of San Diego, Citizens Oversight Project, the Green Party of San Diego and the newly formed Shut San Onofre Working Group were told Friday morning by SEMPRA security officers that they would not be allowed on SEMPRA’s property at 101 Ash Street to deliver a letter directed to SEMPRA Executive Chairman, Donald Felsinger.
Marcia Patt, Hugh Moore, Carol Jahnkow and Ray Lutz were told that instead, a security officer would come out to the street to accept the letter on behalf of SEMPRA Executive Chairman, Donald Felsinger. Three San Diego Police Department cars with 5-6 officers observed from across the street.
After a press conference on the street, the four citizens approached the stairs to the office building and were told again that they would not be allowed on the property to deliver the letter. After an exchange about the political rights of citizens to go onto “private property,” the head security officer abruptly turned his back on us, walked away and went back into the office, while several other security officers remained nearby.
The four citizen activists then exercised their rights and continued on to the property and up to the door which required a pass key for entrance. After a very short wait, the security officer returned outside and accepted the letter. We requested that a copy be time-stamped and returned to us, which was done. After we had returned to the street, SDPD officers who had apparently been waiting inside the SEMPRA office came out and left.
What was SEMPRA afraid of? Is the pen, indeed, mightier than the swor
How outrageous that ratepayers (who no doubt helped pay for the building and property) are not “permitted” to come on the property which is a lovely, inviting small plaza downtown, with attempts made to intimidate them with a police presence? There were only four of us … all nonviolent, two of us senior citizens.
Our concerns with San Onofre and our requests to SEMPRA can be read in the attached letter in a pdf file Download File. You are invited to return to SEMPRA’s office with us for a Rally on Wednesday, May 23, 4-6 p.m., SW corner of Ash and First Street. Mr. Felsinger has been asked to address/answer our questions at the rally, but according to a media report, he will not be doing that.
Event info:
“SHUT SAN ONOFRE” RALLY AT UTILITY COMPANY OFFICES
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 23, 2012, 4pm to 6pm.
Location: Sempra Energy Offices, 101 Ash Street San Diego, CA 92101
(And at offices in Irvine, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fresno.)
Parking: Free parking available at Horton Plaza parking garage (validate at machines in the mall).
Trolley Stop: Civic Center station, two blocks away.
Details: See http://ShutDownSanOnofre.org or
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
SEMPRE will not even accept a LETTER with signatures on it… WHY NOT?
Yet another sign of our Public utility being managed by a Company that puts profit before their Customer Service!
This is a perfect example of why America is in deep trouble; Corporate Denial!
There are plenty of things for SEMPRA to be worried about but accepting a letter should not be one of them…
They should be worried about this:
GAO Says N.R.C. Skimps on Financial Oversight, Audit Says http://is.gd/k5sNpE
+
And they should be really worried about this:
San Onofre: No restart plan submitted – No root cause identified http://wp.me/p21p6a-8yu
from the comments
While SCE PR tried to downplay the # of tubes which went way up from a “few”, to many thousands, Sempra Chairman sold a Million dollars of stock…
At the same time many have been saying that SORE would restart very soon… N?T
Sempra Chief Exec Dumps Almost $1 Million of Stock
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/news-ticker/2012/apr/27/sempra-chief-exec-dumps-almost-1-million-of-stock/?c=119325
As I mentioned in the above comments, I believe that the Sempra Board Members and many other INSIDERS knew they were going to take a hit and dumped stock while at the same time, their PR folks tried to put a happy face on it…
Then there is the NET METERING issue which will determine if we even “need” San Onofre any longer!
“Utilities, Solar Industry Spar Over “Net Metering”” by News Ticker http://is.gd/B9rSYb
2 comments from that link:
1. It is the Energy SYSTEM itself that is keeping the US from going Solar (of all flavors) much quicker, and ripping US off at the same time!
Many, many more would install Solar if the Utilities paid those that installed Solar for the energy they put INTO the grid, at the very same rate that the Utility charges for that same Energy to folks that take Energy OUT of the Grid! By not paying the same amount, the Utility shareholders receive additional money they do not deserve and the folks that have installed solar end up with a much longer payback period! You can be sure if these Utilities operate their own Solar Farms, they will pay themselves every penny they can…
Remember Solar usually adds Energy during peak period of use (daytime) and it is only fair that if the Utility charges more for Energy used during that period (by using Smart meters) then they should also credit that exact amount to those with Solar that add Energy during those periods!
It is time to STOP THE SOLAR ENERGY RIPOFF! http://is.gd/eQog1d
2. You have hit the nail on the head… The Utility wants to retai its market share and CONTROL of our Energy production so it can “game” the system for its own profit…
Why should “their” energy generated by solar get more money per watt than “our” solar energy for the same watt?
If the CPUC allows this to happen then they are only looking out for the Utility and the CPUC should be scrapped by the voters in California ASAP!
When folks think Real Estate, Location, Location, Location, is one of the most important things!
“How close am I and or are we downwind from a potential Nuclear Reactor Meltdown” is another!
Lets use Southern California as an example:
What would happen to property values in SoCal if SORE, (San Onofre Reactor Emergency) suffered a meltdown like Fukushima for ANY reason, like an EQ (Earth Quake), terrorism, Tsunami, operator error or just “because it can”?
Per the NRC: Fact Sheet on Nuclear Insurance and Disaster Relief http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/funds-fs.html
In short, if there is more than $12 Billion in damages, residents are left holding a empty radioactive bag! This is only a tiny fraction of what it will cost in Fukushima, which is estimated to be about a Trillion Dollar Eco-Disaster!
What is the value of all the homes and Commercial property downwind of SORE?
Probably at least several TRILLION dollars…
Here is a great graphic that will help everyone visualize what is downwind of any of the US reactors! NRDC Nuclear Fallout Map: http://www.nrdc.org/nuclear/fallout/
Just click on a reactor and zoom in…
Where will the US Government get the REST of the money if it happened at SORE (or a reactor where you live) next week, probably from Social Security and or Medicare? Where will people relocate to and for how long?
In reality, ALL those affected are doomed!
In Japan, tens of thousands are still living in nuclear refugee camps and it has been well over a year since their triple meltdowns which are STILL sending out radioactive pollution Globally!
On the other hand if SORE is De-Commissioned, then the Property values would climb upward quickly because SoCal would then not have this radioactive RISK hanging over our heads and that could actually jump start our local and State economy.
This would be a Win-Win-Win situation because So-Cal does not need the electric capacity these two leaker could provide, (which has already been proven because both reactors have been shut down for months by orders from the NRC), De-Commissioning will generate lots of good paying long term Jobs and there will be no more RISK of a meltdown; besides SoCal could really use a bigger World Famous Surf Park in San Onofre !
For more see:
or
http://enenews.com/?p=29596
Beware Nuclear Baloney!
The State of CA has plenty of spare capacity WITHOUT these 2 nuclear turkeys!:
There will be No blackouts with San Onofre shut down, unless the Utility “punishes” US to control what form of Energy we have to pay them for: http://is.gd/Wc9UV0
Solar (of all flavors ) is ready for prime time, unless the Nuclear Fascists* stop it from happening!
Benefits of Solar (of all flavors):
? Less costly to build
? ZERO RISK OF A MELTDOWN
? No Trillion Dollar Eco-Disasters
? Faster to construct
? CLEAN from start to finish.
? No radiation worries or leaks
? No foreign dependency
? Prices dropping yearly
? Creates green jobs
? No nuclear cleanup expenses
* http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nuclear+fascism
Why should we pay more for Nuclear Energy than Solar (of all flavors)?
Nuclear, not wind, solar, driving up costs
http://is.gd/tgg1Ht
The truth not Industry Fiction!
snip
What does this mean? The Ontario Energy Board (i.e., the guys who really know the cost of energy, not the politicians) are very clearly saying that nuclear is driving up the cost of energy, not wind or solar.
More discussion here: http://is.gd/RN8GuQ
by the way, the post office (another govt ripoff) is still in business, barely……
What does your comment have what to do with the article being discussed?
Are you suggesting that these folks should have “just” mailed the signatures in?
yes. they have no legal right to go into the SEMPRA building and hand deliver a letter to the boss. who do they think they are? get a stamp…… and the article was about delivering a letter
Maybe if SEMPRA was denied future “CONTROL” of their share of the State’s PUBLIC Energy Monopoly they might be more consumer friendly!
Imagine picking from a group of qualified providers every 10 years,
… Then CA would have the lowest priced Energy in the USA!
i agree. those guys should still get a stamp…..
Thanks, for posting!
I think that any small group should be able to enter a building and ask to speak to a Leader of that Company or Organization, especially if they are peaceful /respectful and then leave when they are asked to…
This is an American business serving the PUBLIC we are taking about, not some high security military installation or other secure area…
sure. i think that small group of people should be able to enter as well, if possible. and the leader of that company has no obligation to talk to them or look at them. btw, most american businesses serve the public, monopolistic or not……….it would have been easier to get a stamp…..i believe you and i are done with this topic
This is what should have happened, a simple meeting, documents exchanged and perhaps a shake of hands:
Protesters demand closure of San Onofre power plant
http://is.gd/K0XgUN