The future of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in California is uncertain after a state agency denied a key approval necessary for its continued operation until 2030.
At the California Coastal Commission Nov. 6 meeting, the agency denied Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) request for a coastal development permit as the agency said it needed more time to put together a land conservation deal, according to a Nov. 9 article by the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Operating licenses for Diablo Canyon reactors were set to expire in 2024 and 2025, respectively, but California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed state legislation, Senate Bill 846, in 2022 to help extend the plant’s lifespan to 2029 for unit 1 and 2030 for unit 2.
Under PG&E’s permit, it seeks to resume operation of Diablo Canyon for five more years, as requested under the state legislation. The utility company also would be required to donate thousands of acres of land nearby the power plant to offset the negative environmental impacts from its cooling system.
The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported that PG&E and the state agency could not come to an agreement on how much land should be given away, when it should occur and how the process will go.
Though an initial agreement was not made in November, Coastal Commission and PG&E will further discuss the matter at its next meeting in December.