After more than six decades of standing proud, the Morro Bay Power Plant is scheduled to come down by Jan 1, 2028: marking the end of an era for the town. More specifically the smoke stacks that have been monumental landmarks for the local community of Morro Bay for more than 60 years. They have been standing proud not just as a reminder of something that has passed but they serve as a symbol of Morro bay itself. The Morro Bay Power Plant first opened on July 8, 1955, in help of the growing need of power after world war ll. The plant was used to power more than 400,000 people across the central coast producing over 1,000 megawatts of energy in the process. This allowed employment for over 100 people at the plant itself allowing them to provide for their families. A local scientist and teacher at Paso Robles High School Even Holts explained that his dad used to work at the Morro Bay Plant before it shut down, forcing him to relocate jobs, showing that the plant did not just employ its locals, it helped grow the next generation. During 2014, the plant was officially shut down due to changes of state regulations, the rising prices to maintain it, and California’s increasing use of renewable energy like solar and wind energy, forcing the plant into retirement. The seawater cooling system was in charge of maintaining temperature stability for the plant but this action was one of the very reasons why it was shut down. The seawater cooling system cooled the plant by drawing water into the intake. This very process didn’t just draw water but it killed large amounts of fish eggs, larvae, and plankton that were near the intake and released warming water back into the environment. Although they have stopped the activity at the plant. It does not mean that the plant will not have any final effects. Scientists like Holts, who is a local to the area, considered the idea that the machinery used to take down the power plant could potentially harm the environment close to the shore. The vibrations, noise, and activity caused by the machines could affect the local wildlife in the area. However, these effects would only be temporary with proper safety measurements at play. Nonetheless this does not guaranty that the demolition of the Morro Bay power wildlife will have any definite lasting affects on the surrounding wildlife.
