Re-Commissioning Diablo Canyon Power Plant

power plant awaits its relicensing from the NRC

By BLAKE ASHLEY FRINO-GERL

San Luis Obispo

COUNTY — Last year it was acknowledged that Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant would not decommission its units by 2025 but rather be relicensed through at least 2030.

Pursuing the extension of the plant’s operations is due to the California Energy Commission determining the extension will “improve statewide electric system reliability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while additional renewable energy and carbonfree resources come online,” according to Suzanne Hosn, Sr. Manager of Marketing and Communications at PG&E.

The Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel was convened by PG&E as a volunteer, non-regulatory group to engage and encourage open public communication through involvement and education. The organization is to engage with the community, and the public has taken the initiative to learn — both good and bad. The public “was informed of a crack in a weld causing a leak in the Unit 2 reactor coolant system that was discovered in October 2022 and reported to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in December 2022,” as stated in the comment area on diablocanyonpanel.org.

The website states that PG&E claims the cause of the weld defect was fatigue.

In addition to the facilities needing updates, it is within 12 miles of a fault line. If an earthquake occurs without those safety upgrades, it is unknown what ramifications could occur.

A petition was created by the Mothers For Peace, Friends of the Earth, and Environmental Working