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California Republicans introduce bill to save Diablo Canyon

June 27, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

California Republicans introduced legislation last week that would keep Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County operating beyond its expected 2025 closure date.

Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.) introduced the Clean Energy Production Acton Act on July 9. Republican representatives Ken Calvert, Mike Garcia, Darrell Issa, Young Kim, Doug LaMalfa, Kevin McCarthy, Tom McClintock, Jay Obernolte, Michelle Steel and David G. Valadao cosponsored the bill.

After 40 years in operation, Diablo Canyon Power Plant is set to be decommissioned in 2025. Diablo Canyon currently provides 10% of California’s electric power.

In 2016, PG&E agreed to invest more of its resources in energy efficiency and  renewables, and to withdraw its application for a license extension.

Late last year, Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham and Democratic SLO County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg called for officials not to rush the closure of Diablo Canyon. Officials should reconsider whether the nuclear power plant remains open at least 10 years past its scheduled decommissioning in 2025, Cunningham and Ortiz-Legg stated.

In February, 79 scientists sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting help to delay closure of the plant.

In April, Newsom told the L.A. Times editorial board the state would seek $6 billion in federal funds that the Biden Administration allocated for rescuing nuclear reactors facing closure. The Biden Administration has previously encouraged California to consider keeping Diablo Canyon open, rather than shutting it down by 2025.

“Reliable electricity is profoundly important,” Newsom said. The governor also acknowledged the growing number of scientists and activists, as well as former U.S. energy secretaries, who have pressed him to keep Diablo Canyon open for climate-related reasons.


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If I see this guy’s picture, I automatically understand he’s simply doing it for the money. I thought he was in charge of Trump’s social media platform. Like Trump, he’s a grifter who moves from one source of income to the next without ever achieving anything.


To keep Diablo running would take $4.5 billion. From the taxpayer. That’s on top of the billions we subsidize the oil industry. At some point the people of California have to say no. Investments in renewables are a far better use of our tax dollars.


-15

Well you are quite wrong Adam. It would not cost 4.5 billion to keep it running, it would cost more than 4.5 billion to decommission it. We would save billions of dollars by keeping it open, and avoid importing dirty power, especially in light of the hydroelectric crisis. Nuclear power is a transitional energy source until better alternative emerge. We just ain’t there yet.


9

I’m a DCPP supporter. I’m puzzled. Rep. Devin Nunes served in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 – January 1, 2022. In July, 2021, prior to his leaving the House, he introduced the Clean Energy Protection Act, Please see this July 27, 2021 article for details…. https://sjvsun.com/california/nunes-pushing-to-save-diablo-canyon-amid-two-decade-pursuit-for-cheap-reliable-energy-sources/


8

We *could* blame a lot of people, but that wouldn’t really accomplish anything. Let’s focus on a positive future. We need changes NOW to keep Diablo Canyon running longer, and many are beginning to realize this is the right choice. We have so much momentum because of the energy crisis here in California, and the situation in Ukraine. It’s obvious we need more clean electricity, and if we shut Diablo, we’re simply digging a bigger hole.

We still have time to pivot and do the right thing. Let’s make this happen!


2

Interesting approach on how to require common sense.


15

Chuckle, chuckle. What a joke. Talk about years too late. I’m still waiting for news of SERIOUS action to keep Diablo Canyon operating. The state of California will have to purchase Diablo from PG&E and assume ALL legal, financial, environmental and regulatory ownership and liability. PG&E is on firm course for Diablo closure as it no longer wants to keep it operating beyond 2025. All I continue to see is political, not realistic.


42

There has been a lot of messaging purposefully crafted to make us *think* it’s too late, but we still have time to do the right thing and keep running Diablo Canyon. PG&E has said they are ready to support California’s clean energy future (the state is asking them to figure out how to do this by continuing to run DCPP), and has done an amazing job operating DCPP (other than the decision to close it, of course). Let’s do this!


11

This is the result of politicians having ZERO BACKBONE and simply capitulating to the majority in an effort to get re-elected. FAIL.


22

Not just that, but also being concerned that major blackouts (as predicted, even WITH diablo still operating!) would be a definite reason to eject them from office. It’s a little late (as, duh, we all knew that this would happen, it’s called climate change, and will require us to have more and more energy to address heat waves, droughts, and other impacts), but we can all still change direction and do the right thing.

Diablo Canyon is 15% of California’s clean electricity supply, and should be preserved.


14