NRC coming to SLO to discuss future of Diablo Canyon. And they want to hear from you

Mackenzie Shuman
Updated ·2 min read
13

Should PG&E renew its operating license for Diablo Canyon Power Plant? How safe is California’s only nuclear power plant?

Members of the public can ask questions and make their voices heard at a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission meeting on May 3 in San Luis Obispo.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors chambers at 1055 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo.

During the May 3 meeting, commission staff will “provide an overview of the license renewal process, including the safety and environmental reviews that will be performed,” a news release said.

Commission staff involved in the license renewal process and responsible for plant inspections will also be available to answer questions and field comments from community members, the release said.

Diablo Canyon, located just north of Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, was set to stop operating its two twin reactors in 2024 and 2025.

The closure became a battle front in recent years when California was unable to procure enough clean electricity to replace the nuclear power plant, which produces about 9% of the state’s total power.

With a push from Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 846 in September, allowing up to $1.4 billion to be allocated to PG&E to fund the nuclear power plant’s license renewal costs for staying open through 2030.

In an October letter to the NRC, PG&E asked federal regulators to simply resume its review of its 2009 license renewal application. PG&E had withdrawn that application in 2018 after it announced plans to close the plant.

The NRC denied that request in January.

In March, however, the commission officially gave PG&E the OK to continue operating Diablo Canyon past its scheduled closing while federal regulators review the plant’s new license renewal.

Steam is released from reactor No. 1 at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant at Avila Beach in a May 2000 file image.
Steam is released from reactor No. 1 at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant at Avila Beach in a May 2000 file image.

“The (commission) concluded that Diablo Canyon Units 1 and 2 operated safely during 2022 and all inspection findings and performance indicators had very low safety significance,” the release said. “As a result, the plant remains under the (commission)’s normal level of oversight, which entails thousands of hours of inspection each year.”

Those who cannot attend the May 3 meeting in person can participate via Microsoft Teams by going to www.tinyurl.com/NRC-SLOmeeting.

You can participate via phone by calling 301-576-2978 and using passcode 653145306# when prompted.