California Reverses Course on Closing Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant

California, once committed to shutting down its last nuclear plant, is now moving to keep Diablo Canyon running indefinitely.

Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the last operating nuclear facility in California, was scheduled for permanent closure — but the state is now actively working to extend its life instead. The plant, located on the Central Coast near San Luis Obispo, houses twin reactors beneath concrete domes and currently supplies roughly 8-9% of California's electricity, making it one of the state's single largest sources of carbon-free power. California had long charted a path away from nuclear energy, driven by concerns over earthquake risk, spent fuel storage, and the plant's proximity to fault lines. A 2016 agreement between Pacific Gas & Electric, labor unions, and environmental groups set the stage for a phased shutdown, with the last reactor originally slated to go offline by 2025. The state legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom reversed that trajectory in 2022, authorizing a loan of up to $1.4 billion to help PG&E pursue a federal license extension and keep the plant running through at least 2030. The reconsideration reflects a broader national reassessment of nuclear power as states and utilities grapple with rising electricity demand, grid reliability pressures, and the need to reduce carbon emissions. California's electricity grid has faced repeated stress tests in recent years, including rotating outages during extreme heat events, adding urgency to the question of what replaces the plant's reliable baseload output if it closes.

Why it matters

Diablo Canyon produces enough electricity to power roughly 3 million homes, and its potential closure — or continued operation — has significant implications for California's grid stability and its ability to meet carbon reduction goals. The decision also signals a broader national shift in how policymakers view nuclear energy's role in a decarbonizing grid.

What's next

PG&E must secure a federal license extension from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the plant's long-term fate will depend on the outcome of that review as well as ongoing state and federal funding decisions.

Key facts

• Diablo Canyon is California's last operating nuclear power plant, located near San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast
• The plant was originally scheduled to close by 2025 under a 2016 agreement between PG&E, unions, and environmental groups
• In 2022, California authorized a loan of up to $1.4 billion to help PG&E pursue a federal license extension
• The current extension target would keep the plant operating through at least 2030
• Diablo Canyon supplies approximately 8-9% of California's total electricity and is one of the state's largest single sources of carbon-free power
• The plant's twin reactors can power roughly 3 million homes

Bias & framing notes

All three sources appear to carry the same syndicated article verbatim, offering no independent corroboration of facts — the trust score reflects the quality of the underlying reporting rather than source diversity. The framing leans toward the perspective of those favoring continued operation, emphasizing grid reliability and climate benefits, while opposition arguments around seismic risk and spent fuel storage receive comparatively less weight.

NewsClear — neutral news & congressional tracking · Bill of the Week