Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant: Continued Operations Plan Post-2025

Topic: Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant: Continued Operations Plan Post-2025

Speaker: Al Bates, Engineering Director, Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Pismo Beach, California

Time: 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Agenda

5:30-6:30 p.m. set up and social

6:00 p.m. Order dinner

7:00 p.m. Presentation

8:00 p.m. Q&A

Venue: IHOP Restaurant in Rancho Bernardo: 16759 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego, CA, 92128

Please to RSVP Ronald Petzoldt: https://www.ans.org/contact/form/?r=sandiego

Background:

Located near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, California, the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) proudly stands as California's sole operational nuclear power facility, following the regrettable shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in 2013. Occupying a modest 12 acres out of a sprawling 700-acre site, DCPP has been a cornerstone of reliable and clean energy production since it began operations in 1985. Its two advanced Westinghouse Pressurized Water Reactors, with licenses extending through 2024 and 2025, produce a staggering 18,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. This substantial output provides power to over three million people in Northern and Central California, contributing nearly 10% to the state's energy portfolio and fulfilling 20% of PG&E's service area demand.

The plant's inception in 1963 marked the beginning of a visionary project by PG&E, initially planned for Nipomo Dunes but later relocated to Diablo Canyon in 1965 after thoughtful consultations with environmental groups. Despite facing extensive reviews and debates over safety and environmental implications, the project exemplified resilience and dedication to safety, leading to the successful commissioning of Unit 1 in 1985 and Unit 2 in 1987.

In 2016, PG&E, in a decision that has been met with disappointment by advocates of clean nuclear energy, announced plans to decommission the DCPP reactors by 2024 and 2025. This announcement, later confirmed by the CPUC in 2018, signals the end of an era for nuclear power in California, underscoring the need for continued advocacy and support for nuclear energy as a critical component of a sustainable and reliable energy future.

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