Nuclear power plants are the only current source of low-carbon electricity that can be built just about anywhere. But the Fukushima disaster has raised some significant questions about the wisdom of putting plants just anywhere. Now, after a decades-long battle, a plant in California that sits near several fault lines will not be relicensed when its current certifications expire in the middle of next decade. The decision will bring an end to nuclear power in the golden state, which has the most aggressive climate goals in the US.
At the time Fukushima occurred, California had two licensed nuclear reactors. But a faulty refurbishment had put the San Onofre in limbo; due to the uncertainty, its owners eventually decided to permanently shutter the plant. That left Diablo Canyon as the only operational plant in the state. That site had been controversial since before the plant was operational, as it is situated near several fault lines and on the coast; Fukushima did little to allay those fears.
Diablo Canyon's two reactors were scheduled to be relicensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2024 and 2025. Now, in a deal negotiated between the utility and environmental groups, that relicensing won't occur. The deal calls for the lost generating power to be replaced by a mix of renewable energy, grid-scale storage, and efficiency measures.
The deal will require approval by the California Public Utilities Commission, but now that the deal has been announced, it will be difficult for any of the parties involved to force a relicensing bid through.
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