The environmental group Friends of the Earth has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Energy Department over its decision to provide over $1 billion to support the continued operation of California’s last nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, beyond its planned closure date of 2025. The group argues that the decision was based on outdated and flawed analysis that did not adequately assess the risks of events such as earthquakes. Diablo Canyon, which supplies up to 9% of the state’s electricity, sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Initially, in 2016, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), along with environmental groups and plant worker unions, had agreed to shut down Diablo Canyon by 2025. However, in 2022, the California Legislature overturned this agreement after Governor Gavin Newsom changed his stance, citing the need for the plant’s power to prevent blackouts during the state’s transition to renewable energy sources and in the face of climate change impacts on the energy system. Since then, concerns have arisen regarding the safety of the plant’s reactors, potential financial costs to taxpayers, and the necessity of the plant’s electricity in the era of sustainable energy alternatives.
PG&E has maintained that Diablo Canyon is safe, a sentiment backed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Biden administration approved $1.1 billion in Energy Department funding in January through the civil nuclear credit program, aimed at assisting financially distressed nuclear power reactor owners or operators to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. PG&E has expressed its commitment to keeping the plant operational to ensure statewide electrical reliability and combat climate change, at the direction of the state. Plans are in place to seek a 20-year extension of federal licenses for the plant, with a state judge provisionally approving a plan to extend operation until 2030.
California, known for its environmental advocacy, has had a contentious history with nuclear power, and the debate over Diablo Canyon reflects broader concerns about the industry’s future amidst efforts to combat global warming. While nuclear power does not emit carbon pollution like fossil fuels, it leaves behind radioactive waste that poses risks for centuries. The issue of environmental impacts, safety considerations, and the necessity of nuclear power in the context of renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation continues to be a focal point in ongoing discussions surrounding Diablo Canyon and its future. The outcome of the lawsuit filed by Friends of the Earth against the U.S. Energy Department is expected to shed light on the trajectory of the plant and its role in California’s energy landscape.
