Federal regulators rejected a last-ditch effort by a pair of environmental activist groups to block the continued operation of California’s last-remaining nuclear power plant.
A petition filed by Friends of the Earth and Mothers for Peace sought to immediately shutter one of two reactors at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County.
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Driving the news: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission rejected the request to shut down the Unit 1 reactor and asked agency staff to review it instead.
- The NRC also declined a request to convene a hearing regarding a 2003 decision to extend the testing schedule for the Unit 1 pressure vessel until 2025.
- The environmental groups claimed that the last vessel inspections occurred between 2003 and 2005, and the utility had postponed further testing based on results from similar reactors.
- The NRC determined that there was no justification for a hearing, prompting the groups to express concern over the lack of regard for the safety and security of those living near the plant.
The other side: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), the operator of the Diablo Canyon plant, maintained that the facility was in “full compliance” with industry guidance and regulatory standards for safety monitoring.
- This latest development in the ongoing debate over the plant’s operation and safety follows a state judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit by Friends of the Earth to prevent PG&E from extending the plant’s operating life.
- PG&E initially agreed in 2016 to shut down the plant by 2025 but later changed course, seeking to extend the operating run of the twin reactors.
- Governor Gavin Newsom, who previously advocated for closing the plant, now supports keeping Diablo Canyon operational beyond 2025 to prevent blackouts during California’s transition to renewable energy sources.
