Officials vote to extend life of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant - Cal Coast News
Officials vote to extend life of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
December 15, 2023
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
By KAREN VELIE
California energy regulators voted Thursday to allow Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in Avila Beach to continue producing energy through 2030.
After agreeing to shut down the nuclear power plant in 2025, PG&E received backing from both federal and state officials earlier this year to extend the operating life of Diablo Canyon through 2030, with a goal of providing Californians electric reliability. The nuclear plant provides nearly 10 percent of California’s electric power.
The California Public Utilities Commission agreed on Thursday to allow the aging plant to continue operating for an additional five years, after noting costs associated with the extension will likely exceed $6 billion.
The issue of extending the lifespan of the nuclear power plant has pitted those calling for California to address its energy deficiencies against activists expressing environmental and safety concerns. Critics have also voiced concerns the extension will cause electric bills to soar.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.