PTA Hears Power Plant Arguments

The Redondo Beach Joint Council of Parent-Teacher Associations made the a topic at a recent meeting, hearing two five-minute presentations by members of the No Power Plant group and AES Southland President Eric Pendergraft, JCPTA President Polly Kinsinger told the school board Tuesday.

• More coverage: The Great Power Plant Debate

Because the current power plant uses once-through cooling, AES must either repower (rebuild) the plant or tear it down. AES says a new plant would be cleaner, smaller and more efficient; however, opponents of the new plant believe that it would still be a major health hazard and continue to depress property values. Opponents want to see the plant torn down and replaced with a park and some commercial use.

The No Power Plant group wanted the JCPTA to take a stand against the power plant, Kinsinger said in her report to the Board of Education.

The JCPTA decided to form a committee to examine the issue, Kinsinger said. Once plans for the plant are finalized, "our committee will decided if they even want to look at [the issue] further."

"Whether PTA even wants to go into that realm is a topic of conversation for the committee," Kinsinger said. "That's all we're willing to do at this point."

The school board has not taken a position on the power plant.