POLL: Strong local support for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
68 percent of voters in Senate District 17 (Laird) support the continued operation of Diablo Canyon
Earlier polling found 58 percent of voters statewide in support
(August 24, 2022) – Newly released polling shows strong local support for extending operations of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, California’s largest source of carbon-free energy generation. Polling focused on Senate District 17, where Diablo Canyon is located and represented by Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), found that 68 percent of voters support continued operation of Diablo Canyon.
The polling was conducted by FM3 research August 20-22 as an addendum to previous polling which found that a majority of voters statewide support keeping Diablo Canyon online.
In the earlier polling, conducted in January, 58 percent of California voters supported continued operation of the state’s last existing nuclear power plant, while only 32 percent opposed. In San Luis Obispo County, 74 percent of voters indicated support for extending Diablo Canyon, with 56 percent of respondents “strongly” supporting.
“We found that Californians broadly support the continued use of Diablo Canyon Power Plant to generate electricity,” said Dave Metz, partner and president at FM3 Research. “That support was strong in the district that includes San Luis Obispo County.”
The poll was commissioned by Carbon Free California.
About Carbon Free California
Carbon Free California is funded by California-based entrepreneurs and brings together leaders from business, the environmental community, labor and the technology sector to focus on creating a pathway to a carbon-free future and securing the clean, reliable energy needed to power the world’s fifth-largest economy. Carbon Free California believes the state must pursue all forms of emission-free energy to address the climate crisis and achieve our urgent emission reduction goals. Extending the operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant will bolster the grid with reliable carbon-free energy and enable the state to transition to increasing shares of wind and solar power, while avoiding disruptive and costly rolling blackouts. Carbon Free California receives no funding from utility or nuclear industry interests
Learn more at www.carbonfreeca.org or follow us on Twitter at @carbonfreeca.
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