Hole in the Head

USA / California / Bodega Bay / West Shore Road
 park, birdwatching area
 Upload a photo
The Bodega Bay Nuclear Power Plant was proposed but never built.

"Hole in the Head," on Campbell Cove. Excavated in 1963 by Pacific Gas and Electric for the foundation of a reactor core containment vault. In those days, obtaining a building permit from the Public Utilities Commission was simple, almost routine, and no environmental impact report was required.
The site of an attempted nuclear power plant, and PG&E put up signs renaming Campbell Cove "The Atomic Park." It was derailed after local folks, lead by Karl Kortum, David Pesonen and Rose Gaffney, protested that it was being built right on top of an active slip fault. The great Alaskan earthquake of 1964 did cause slippage of the SAF in this area, and that was the end of plans for Atomic Park.
PG&E reportedly wound up selling the site to the State of California for one dollar.
The Hole eventually filled with fresh water, and now serves as an important stop over for migratory birds.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodega_Bay_Nuclear_Power_Plant
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   38°18'18"N   123°3'33"W

Comments

  • I went out here with my Dad when the excavation was still fresh. It was clear then that the east side of the square reactor hole was crushed rock, part of the 1/2mile wide San Andreas Fault Zone.
  • Sure! Lets build a nuclear powerplant on the San Andreas fault. Brilliant idea!
This article was last modified 11 years ago