Diablo Canyon 1 & 2

Basic Facts:

  • Location: Avila Beach, California
  • Owner: PG&E Corporation
  • Operator: Pacific Gas & Electric Company
  • Construction Cost: $14B (2018$)
  • Plant Output: 2,250 MW
  • Property Size: 1,000 acres
  • Scheduled Shut Down: Unit 1 (2024) and Unit 2 (2025)
  • Employees: 1,300
  • Current DTF Balance: $2.9B (2018$)
  • DTF Balance Prior to Decommissioning: $4.5B (2018$)
  • Decommissioning Cost Estimate: $1.0B (2018$)
  • Spent Nuclear Fuel On Site: 1,388 tons
(FILES) This file photo taken on March 17, 2011 shows an aerial view of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant which sits on the edge of the Pacific Ocean at Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Under a proposal announced on June 21, 2016 by Pacific Gas and Electric, the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the states last operating nuclear facility, would be shuttered by PG&E after its current Nuclear Regulatory Commission operating licenses expire in November 2024 and August 2025. The power produced by Diablo Canyons two nuclear reactors would be replaced with investment in a greenhouse-gas-free portfolio of energy efficiency, renewables and energy storage, PG&E said in a statement. The power output loss would be compensated by using technologies that do not emit greenhouse gases, including renewable energy. 
 / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTONMARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

Background

Diablo Canyon 1 and 2 are both pressurized water reactors coming online in 1985 and 1986 respectively. In 2016, PG&E announced that the operating licenses would not be renewed when they expire in 2024 (for Unit 1) and in 2025 (for Unit 2). Additional information on Diablo Canyon’s decommissioning planning efforts may be found here.

Socioeconomics

Diablo Canyon is located within San Luis Obispo County, California. As of 2016:

  • Population: 280,000
  • Per Capita Annual Income: $51,400
  • Unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted): 3.6%

Annual tax payments (approximately $15M) from Diablo Canyon account for approximately 6% of the county’s annual budget.

Contact Information

Economic Development Administration Representative:

  • Wilfred Marshall, Los Angeles Regional Office, t: (310) 348-5386, e: [email protected]

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Unless specific costing information has been provided, decommissioning costs were derived from 2017 Decommissioning Funding Status Report.
Information herein obtained from public sources. Corrections are welcome and may be directed to [email protected].

Additional Information

Feds offer $1B to keep California’s last nuclear plant open

November 22, 2022

Feds offer $1B to keep California’s last nuclear plant openThe Biden administration on Monday announced preliminary approval to spend up to $1.1 billion to help keep California’s last operating nuclear power plant running, even as officials turned down a request for financial aid to restart a closed nuclear plant in Michigan.

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Opinion: An open letter regarding the future of Diablo Canyon

May 8, 2022

Opinion: An open letter regarding the future of Diablo Canyon | Pacific Coast Business Times By The Diablo Vision Coalition To California Central Coast residents, clean energy champions and innovators, and anyone interested in advancing an abundant, sustainable energy future: Where the Diablo Canyon Power Plant sits on California’s Central Coast, we see a new […]

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Local officials and nonprofits sign open letter supporting a future “clean tech park” at Diablo Canyon

May 6, 2022

Local officials and nonprofits sign open letter supporting a future “clean tech park” at Diablo Canyon REACH announced an open letter today signed by government, nonprofit and community leaders endorsing Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to lead the way in revamping one of Diablo Canyon’s parcels into a clean tech innovation park.

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NRC meeting in SLO to cover new nuclear plant decommissioning rules

April 24, 2022

NRC meeting in SLO to cover new nuclear plant decommissioning rules Apr. 22-Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold an in-person public meeting May 4 in San Luis Obispo to present the agency’s proposed regulations for nuclear power plants moving from operating status to decommissioning. The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

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Diablo Canyon will go offline in 3 years — here’s what will happen to its recent spent fuel Read more at: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article260179535.html#storylink=cpy

April 7, 2022

Diablo Canyon will go offline in 3 years – here’s what will happen to its recent spent fuel “These additional steps ensure a thorough process to mitigate risk and keep us, as a company, true to our stand that everyone and everything is always safe,” a PG&E representative said.

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Diablo Canyon supporters rally in SLO to keep nuclear power plant open

December 6, 2021

Diablo Canyon supporters rally in SLO to keep nuclear power plant open Supporters of keeping Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open in San Luis Obispo County held a “Save Clean Energy” rally in downtown SLO.

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Stanford/MIT Study: Keeping Diablo Nuclear Plant Open Would Save Billions, Help Meet Emissions Goals

November 10, 2021

Stanford/MIT Study: Keeping Diablo Nuclear Plant Open Would Save Billions, Help Meet Emissions Goals A new Stanford University/Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study released on Monday found that an extending the life of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant past it’s planned 2025 closure date would help the state greatly reduce carbon emissions and meet state […]

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Devin Nunes wants to keep Diablo Canyon open. PG&E says its plans haven’t changed

July 19, 2021

Devin Nunes wants to keep Diablo Canyon open. PG&E says its plans haven’t changed U.S. Representative Devin Nunes introduced the Clean Energy Protection Act, a bill That would issue permits for Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to stay open.

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Morro Bay wind farm could add $262 million to economy — but it needs a wind port to do it

May 28, 2021

Morro Bay wind farm could add $262 million to economy – but it needs a wind port to do it A REACH study found that offshore wind turbines planned near Morro Bay would have a $262 million impact on San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties’ economies.

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California’s last nuclear plant is poised to shut down. What happens next?

March 24, 2021

California’s last nuclear plant is poised to shut down. What happens next? A large amount of carbon-free energy will come offline once the Diablo Canyon power plant retires, raising questions around how the state will replace it.

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