As California’s last nuclear facility — the 2.2 GW Diablo Canyon power plant — approaches its scheduled retirement date, some energy experts worry that the state hasn’t fully prepared for what comes next.
The Diablo Canyon plant is located on California’s Central Coast and produces some 18,000 GWh of electricity annually — almost 10% of the state’s energy portfolio. Since the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station eight years ago, it has been the sole operational nuclear power facility in California. In 2018, regulators allowed Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) to close down the plant’s two reactors when their licenses expire in 2024 and 2025. But as those dates draw nearer, experts are questioning what it will mean for California’s reliability and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission goals.