California regulators have granted a five-year extension to operate Pacific Gas and Electric’s Diablo Canyon power plant, the state’s only nuclear facility, to avoid electricity shortages during extreme weather events.
The California Public Utilities Commission approved operation of Diablo Canyon’s two reactors until 2029 and 2030, extended from 2024 and 2025, respectively. The plant produces 2.2 megawatts of electricity.
The plant remains a major source of carbon-free electricity as California increases generating capacity from wind, solar and other clean energy sources.
The CPUC said in its Thursday decision that the extension was granted because “shortfalls could occur under climate-driven extreme events, including the extreme heat events California recently experienced in 2020 and 2022, and the risks are compounded if coincident wildfire risk reduced transmission capacity during peak events.”
PG&E can now keep Diablo Canyon running while it awaits a renewed federal operating license, and it must also keep the terms of its $1.4 billion loan agreement with California, the CPUC said in its decision.
PG&E applied on Nov. 7 with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license renewal, and had previously received approval to keep Diablo Canyon running during the re-licensing period.
Critics of keeping open the plant, located next to the Pacific Ocean in San Luis Obispo County, say the region is vulnerable to earthquakes and that there is no permanent place for disposing of radioactive nuclear waste.
In 2022, the Biden administration approved conditional funding of up to $1.1 billion to prevent the closure of Diablo Canyon, as part of its effort to fight climate change.
Reuters contributed to this article.
