The San Luis Coastal Unified School District’s board released an open letter late last week, asking for additional funding if the Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s operations are extended past 2030.
The plant’s operator PG&E has historically helped fund the SLCUSD in the form of either tax payments on the nuclear power plant or as part of a settlement deal, which expired last year.
The open letter is signed by the district’s Board of Trustees, and asks for funding from PG&E to be extended as long as the nuclear power plant continues running.
“This is not a request for preferential treatment. It is a request for reciprocity, fairness, and responsible stewardship,” the letter says.
Board President Ellen Sheffer says losing the funding from PG&E has meant budget cuts for the district.
“We have cut back on counseling, we've made some programmatic cuts,” she said. “It has affected our ability to pay our folks what we would hope we would be able to pay them.”
PG&E announced last week that the utility will voluntarily restart the payments for two years. On top of the SLCUSD, the funding also goes to support San Luis Obispo County and other local agencies.
A senior director at PG&E said the agreement “helps address near-term community needs while recognizing the vital role Diablo Canyon plays in delivering reliable, clean and affordable energy.”
The announcement led to the shelving of a bill in the state Legislature that would have required PG&E to continue the payments until 2028.
The open letter from the school board asks for enforceable funding commitments instead of “short-term or discretionary arrangements.”
Sheffer called the agreement “one-time funding,” which she said is “a really challenging way to receive money.”
Sheffer told KCBX that in her opinion, the funding should be ongoing and without an expiration date, extended via the state Legislature.
The letter also mentions continuing support for emergency preparedness and public safety, “including school safety, training, communications, transportation, student reunification, health services, and continuity of operations.”
Disclaimer: PG&E is a financial supporter of KCBX.
