The Californian Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) plan to shut down the 2,256 MW Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California (United States). PG&E filed the application to the CPUC in August 2016 and intends to operate Diablo Canyon to the end of its current NRC operating licenses. The two reactors were commissioned in 1985 and 1986, respectively, and are the sole operating nuclear reactors in California. The operating license of the first unit (1,138 MW) is set to expire in 2024 while the second unit (1,118 MW) will expire in 2025.
This transition period will provide the time to begin the process to plan and replace Diablo Canyon's energy with new GHG-free replacement resources. Besides, PG&E plans to increase investment in energy efficiency, renewables and storage beyond current state mandates. Power generation from Diablo Canyon will become less necessary in California, due to the increase of the Renewable Portfolio Standard to 50% by 2030.
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