CPUC Votes To Extend Life Of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Through 2030

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant t0 2030 on Thursday, passing one of the final hurdles to guarantee to keep the plant operating throughout the decade amidst continued environmental concerns.

The debate over extending the life of the Diablo Canyon Plant has been ongoing since 2018, when concerns over earthquakes, nuclear waste pollution, and other factors convinced CPUC to close the plant by 2025. Proponents of the plant quickly moved to try and extend the life of the plant, with concerns over state energy production quickly bringing more and more support in their favor. Many were attracted to the fact that keeping the plant open for a decade or two more would save the state $21 billion in systems costs, while others, concerned about large gaps in California’s energy production while transitioning into the 100% renewable energy power by 2045 goal, signaled support as a power source to help bridge the gap. The fact that Diablo Canyon provides 9% of California’s total energy production, and is a clean source of energy, has also convinced many people of keeping the plant open.

While several bills in the 2010’s and early 2020’s failed to keep the plant open, one, SB 846, was finally passed by both houses in the state legislature last year. At the same time, Governor Gavin Newsom put out a proposal to keep the plant running for another 5-10 years, outlining how state and federal support would be needed. Despite signing the bill into law in September, over $1 billion in funding was still needed to make the extension feasible, as well as final approvals from multiple state and federal agencies, such as approval of a new license by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

In November of last year, the Department of Energy awarded $1.1 billion to extend the life of the plant, signaling federal support for the plant for both clean energy and to help avert a power crisis in California in the next decade while green energy production gradually replaces fossil fuel energy. This led to the NRC deciding in March to keep the plant open while license renewal is being considered. With the clock temporarily suspended, final extensions to at least 2030 now came down to license renewal from both CPUC and the NRC.

Environmental groups continued to challenge the plant and PG&E to close it by 2025, however, all of their attempts this year failed. This included a state court rejecting a lawsuit by an environmental group to close the plant in August and the NRC rejecting a request from several environmental groups to shut down one of the reactors in October. On Thursday, one of the final hurdles was cleared for the extension with CPUC voting 3-0 with one abstention to keep the plant open through 2030.

CPUC votes to extends Diablo Canyon’s life through 2030

While environmental issues and the costs of running the plant were noted by CPUC board members, they pointed out that Diablo Canyon plays a big part in helping the state transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and meeting the 2045 energy goal.

“The short-term extension of the power plant as proposed is a transitional strategy to help California weather the challenges of the energy transition, including the weather and climate extremes that we have experienced and the cost challenges that we face in scaling up the clean energy transition so quickly,” said CPUC Commissioner Karen Douglas. “So this is an opportunity for us to help bridge some years.”

Despite the extension being praised by many, especially for helping the state bridge energy gaps in the coming years, environmental groups condemned CPUCs decision, citing environmental and financial issues with the plant, as well as increased energy production rates in the state. Current costs to keep the plant open through 2030 are around $6 billion.

“This ill-conceived decision will further escalate financial strain on California ratepayers and extend the threat of a catastrophe at Diablo Canyon,” said Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook. “With California’s annual renewable energy additions exceeding Diablo Canyon’s output, there is zero reason to keep it running.”

Energy experts retorted on Friday that Diablo Canyon is still very much needed and that the safety of the plant lasting further into the future has been pretty much secured at this point.

“If there was something wrong with Diablo Canyon, the state would have scrambled years ago to get some sort of quick kick of energy in to help meet the demand,” said Sal Braith, a nuclear engineer who has worked at multiple nuclear plants in the U.S., to the Globe. “The NRC and CPUC are not hesitant to shut something off when it poses a danger. It’s happened before, and they don’t want any nuclear incident to occur. And let me tell you, when the NRC goes over a plant, they really go through it.

“CPUC’s vote yesterday was out of necessity, but it was also out of an evaluation of everything about it. And they said it was go to go until at least 2030. And if you are worried about the price tag to keep it open, the federal government and other sources are going to help with that. Pretty much every argument the environmentalists have is wrong. Diablo Canyon really is needed to keep up with energy demands in California. They just really don’t want to admit it.”

The final major hurdle, license approval from the NRC, is expected to be decided on soon.