Diablo Canyon Power Plant

In what could be a reversal of fortune for Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the governor of California is weighing whether to bid on a federal bailout for the Golden State’s last operating nuclear power facility, he said last week. State Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) told the LA Times editorial board Friday that a bid on […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission took issue Tuesday with a report from its inspector general suggesting that the agency had been lax in its inspection of a soon-to-close nuclear power plant, according to new documents. Although NRC’s inspector general alleged in a March report that an improper inspection of Diablo Canyon Power Plant back in 2020 […]

In what could be a reversal of fortune for Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the governor of California is weighing whether to bid on a federal bailout for the Golden State’s last operating nuclear power facility, he said last week. State Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) told the LA Times editorial board Friday that a bid on […]

Holtec International late last week withdrew some sharp criticism it made against the company selected to provide spent-fuel management services at a California nuclear power plant, framing its comments as a heat-of-the-moment reaction. Comments directed at Orano USA in an April 6 letter “reflected an emotional response in the immediate wake of the disappointing news,” […]

Holtec International late last week withdrew some sharp criticism it made against the company selected to provide spent-fuel management services at a California nuclear power plant, framing its comments as a heat-of-the-moment reaction. Comments directed at Orano USA in an April 6 letter “reflected an emotional response in the immediate wake of the disappointing news,” […]

The company selected to manage Diablo Canyon Power Station’s spent fuel inventory fired back this week at claims from a competitor that its cask system was unsafe and untested. Orano USA, whose subsidiary TN Americas on April 6 locked down the spent fuel contract with plant operator Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), was “surprised” at […]

The company selected to manage Diablo Canyon Power Station’s spent fuel inventory fired back Wednesday at claims from a competitor that its cask system was unsafe and untested. Orano USA, whose subsidiary TN Americas on April 6 locked down the spent fuel contract with plant operator Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), was “surprised” at what […]

Holtec International gave Pacific Gas & Electric a piece of its mind last week in a letter blasting the utility for choosing another company to handle spent fuel management operations at a California nuclear power plant. Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) April 6 decision to give the spent fuel job at Diablo Canyon Power Station […]

In some of the first public details about decommissioning work at California’s last operating nuclear plant, Orano USA announced this week that it had locked down a contract to transfer the site’s spent fuel into dry storage post-shutdown. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), which owns and operates Diablo Canyon Power Plant, selected Orano USA subsidiary […]

In some of the first public details about decommissioning work at California’s last operating nuclear plant, Orano USA announced Wednesday that it had locked down a contract to transfer the site’s spent fuel into dry storage post-shutdown. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), which owns and operates Diablo Canyon Power Plant, selected Orano USA subsidiary TN […]

Dozens of stakeholders, headed by a former secretary of energy, pressed the governor of California in a letter last week to prevent the state’s last operating nuclear power plant from shutting down. “With the accelerating threat that climate change poses to life on Earth, we write today to urge that the state reverse the decision […]

Dozens of stakeholders, headed by a former secretary of energy, pressed the governor of California in a letter last week to prevent the state’s last operating nuclear power plant from shutting down. “With the accelerating threat that climate change poses to life on Earth, we write today to urge that the state reverse the decision […]

NRC Taking Comments on Church Rock Historical Preservation Agreement with Navajo Nation Members of the public have a little more than a month to submit comments on a proposed agreement between the federal government and the Navajo Nation aimed at mitigating the impacts of a former uranium mine and mill’s cleanup on indigenous artifacts in […]

Community members and other stakeholders gathered at a rally on the West Coast recently to show their support for California’s last nuclear power plant, slated to close in the coming years. Flying a small blimp with the phrase ‘save clean energy’ emblazoned on the side, demonstrators marched through San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Dec. 4 […]

The senior vice president of Pacific Gas & Electric’s generation business, also the head of its nuclear energy segment, will retire at the end of the year, the company said Monday. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Senior Vice President of Generation and chief nuclear officer Jim Welsch planned to retire effective Dec. 31, according to […]

Community members and other stakeholders gathered at a rally on the West Coast this weekend to show their support for California’s last nuclear power plant, slated to close in the coming years. Flying a small blimp with the phrase ‘save clean energy’ emblazoned on the side, demonstrators marched through San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Saturday […]

If California wants to talk about keeping its sole surviving nuclear power plant online, the Department of Energy would listen, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said this week. During an interview with Reuters Tuesday, Granholm said that keeping the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in Avila Beach, Calif., open “may be something that [California] decide[s] to […]

If California wants to talk about keeping its sole surviving nuclear power plant online, the Department of Energy would listen, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday. During an interview with Reuters Tuesday, Granholm said that keeping the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in Avila Beach, Calif., open “may be something that [California] decide[s] to take […]

If a California nuclear power plant is allowed to shut down as scheduled it will “inflict grave harm” on the state’s economy and environment, leaders of a prominent nuclear professional association said in a statement last week. “Years ago, California made a decision to shut down the Diablo Canyon [Power Plant] units. However, circumstances have […]

SUMMERLIN, NEV. — The utility company in charge of a California nuclear power plant is preparing to roll out its plan to decommission the site, a representative said this week at the annual Decommissioning Strategy Forum. “We’ll have several major announcements in the next 90 days about how the work is going to get done” […]

SUMMLIN, NEV. — Federal regulators should approve the sale of a Michigan nuclear power plant early next year, a Holtec executive said Monday at the Exchange Monitor’s annual Decommissioning Strategy Forum. Holtec International expects the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve its acquisition of the Palisades Power Plant from Entergy “no later than January of 2022,” […]

SUMMERLIN, NEV. — The utility company in charge of a California nuclear power plant is preparing to roll out its plan to decommission the site, a representative said here Monday at the annual Decommissioning Strategy Forum. “We’ll have several major announcements in the next 90 days about how the work is going to get done” […]

RadWaste Monitor took its annual summer recess in mid-August, but we kept track of the nuke news during the publishing holiday and have compiled it here for you. DOE Assistant Secretary Warns of California Nuclear Shutdown Assistant Energy Secretary for Nuclear Energy Rita Baranwal on Aug. 18 warned of the potential risks of closing the […]

Assistant Energy Secretary for Nuclear Energy Rita Baranwal on Tuesday warned of the potential risks of closing the sole remaining operational nuclear power plant in California, in light of the state’s blackouts during a current heat wave. “Keeping SONGS on line could have prevented some of California’s current blackouts,” Baranwal tweeted, referring to the retired […]

By John Stang A proposed settlement agreement contends that decommissioning of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California later this decade can be done for $900 million less than previously estimated. On Jan. 10, plant owner Pacific Gas & Electric Co., San Luis Obispo County, and five other entities filed a proposed settlement agreement […]

By John Stang Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) expects full cleanup of its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to cost at least $5.1 billion, according to paperwork filed Wednesday with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. That breaks down to $3.16 billion for decommissioning the complex, $1.26 billion for spent fuel management, and about $738,000 for […]

At the end of the last federal fiscal year on Sept. 30, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was overseeing decommissioning of 23 nuclear power and early demonstration reactors. Of those reactors, 11 were undergoing active decommissioning and the remaining 12 were in SAFSTOR, or safe storage, in which final cleanup can be delayed for up […]

RadWaste Monitor took a break over the past two weeks for Congress’ annual summer recess. Our affiliate publication, Weapons Complex Morning Briefing, kept up on the latest news around the nuclear security enterprise and its industry partners. Here’s a recap of what happened while we were out.   NRC Schedules Meetings on Decommissioning Advisory Boards […]

A measure introduced in the California State Senate calls on the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump to approve federal legislation that would prioritize removal of used fuel from power plants in the state. Senate Joint Resolution 11 was introduced on Aug. 12 by state Sens. Patricia Bates (R) and Bill Monning (D). It was […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans through fall to hold 11 public meetings in communities near nuclear power plants that have closed or are nearing the end of the service life. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss best practices for community boards that would provide advice on decommissioning of the facilities, as required […]