Calif. officials urge Diablo Canyon extension, but Newsom holding off

Dozens of elected officials in California are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature to act this year to extend operations at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant past 2030.

Whether state lawmakers will take action on this remains to be seen, especially as recent comments from Newsom seem to shift this responsibility to the next governor, who will take office in 2027.

About the letter: A letter dated August 4 was sent to Newsom, State Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limon, and State Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas. The letter was first reported on by Politico. In the letter, 54 elected officials told the three not to delay the extension of Diablo Canyon. California law requires state lawmakers to approve any further extension beyond 2030 for the two-unit nuclear power plant.

Already, Diablo Canyonhas the okay from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate into 2045 after the agency renewed and extended the two reactors' operating licenses by another 20 years.

The letter cited a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study released earlier this year that stated Diablo Canyon would save Californians up to $1.3 billion annually. Energy affordability, the cost of fuel, and growing demand were among the reasons listed to act sooner rather than later. Waiting any longer will lead to Californians spending more, the letter argued.

"Each year we wait, Californians may face increased energy bills and less reliable power during climate emergencies, forcing us to rely on expensive, polluting backup sources rather than the renewable, clean energy that will keep our state functional and beautiful for generations to come," the letter said.

Not only did the letter list the NRC's approval of Diablo Canyon's operating licenses renewal, it said the extension is supported by an independent study conducted by Westinghouse that said the reactor vessels are safe to operate for another 60 years.

The 54 signatories of the letters include mayors, city council members, and county commissioners from cities and counties near and far from the Avila Beach, Calif., plant.

The governor's response: The California Legislature adjourns on August 31, giving lawmakers just under a month to consider extending Diablo Canyon's operations during this legislative session. But Newsom's comments at a press conference Friday suggest that may not happen.

During Newsom's time in office, the governor and the state legislature worked successfully to extend Diablo Canyon's operation past 2025 and into 2030. However, work to extend operations beyond 2030 "will be a baton I pass on to the next administration," he said Friday when asked about the power plant.

"That will be a determination made by policymakers that will be here a lot longer than I will," he added. "I've got a sell by-date in five months. I look forward to the deliberative process by the experts behind me in making that determination."