Washington, March 2. The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant (California), the last to have operational reactors in the state, will be able to continue operating until the agency in charge of regulating this type of energy in the United States decides whether or not to extend its useful life, as requested by the managing company.
The decision of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), rendered this Thursday, allows the two Diablo Canyon reactors to continue to operate beyond the expiry date of their licenses (respectively 2024 and 2025) while studying the possibility of keep the plant operational for up to 20 more years.
For this extension to take effect, the company that manages the plant, Pacific Gas & Electricity (PG&E), must file an application to renew its operating license before the end of the year.
In a statement on Thursday, PG&E Vice President Paula Gerfen confirmed that the company intends to seek a license renewal throughout 2023.
The NRC has assured that keeping the Diablo Canyon plant in operation “is in the public interest because of challenges to the reliability of the California power grid”, reports The Hill.
In late August, state lawmakers approved a measure allowing reactors to continue operating through 2029 and 2030, as long as they receive the green light from the NRC.
The plan, backed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has prompted rejection from some environmental groups who oppose the use of nuclear power as a transitional measure to renewable systems.
Newsom recently argued that keeping the plant running is critical to securing power for the state, as “extreme events caused by climate change are placing unprecedented strain on our power grid,” a reference to the heat wave that hit the region last September.
Diablo Canyon is California’s largest power source, generating approximately 9% of all electricity in the territory. EFE
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