The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a federal agency, approved a 20-year license renewal for California’s only operating nuclear power plant.
The Diablo Canyon Power Plant, located near Avila Beach, produces almost 10% of California’s electricity.
It’s in Congressman Salud Carbajal’s district, and he says that trying to meet California’s carbon-free energy goals without the plant operating could lead to blackouts.
“We could be in a challenging predicament, not having the energy reliance that we need here in the state of California,” Carbajal told KCBX.
The state has fought for years over how long Diablo Canyon should operate.
It was set to decommission last year, but in 2022, state lawmakers rushed to pass a bill extending the plant’s operation until 2030.
Anti-nuclear activists have argued that multiple nearby fault lines make it too risky to run. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has said the plant is safe from possible earthquakes.
Now that Diablo Canyon has a federal license to run until 2045, the state legislature may try to pass another bill extending its life.
The state of California will have the final word on how long the power plant is allowed to operate.
Disclosure: PG&E is a financial supporter of KCBX.
