CPUC APPROVES PLAN TO CLOSE DIABLO CANYON !
CPUC APPROVES PLAN TO
CLOSE DIABLO CANYON !
Read the Press Release of the Alliance:
January 11, 2018
CPUC ISSUES DECISION AFFIRMING JOINT PROPOSAL
TO CLOSE DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR PLANT
The CPUC today voted to approve the Joint Proposal to retire the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. The Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility (A4NR) was one of the original parties to the proposal, first announced in June 2016.
“With today’s historic vote, the Commission approves PG&E’s plan to cease operation of Diablo Canyon no later than 2025,” commented A4NR Executive Director Rochelle Becker, adding, “Achieving this milestone was aligned with the mission of A4NR.”
Not all the provisions of the Joint Proposal were approved in the final decision. With regard to the issue of worker retention, Ms. Becker noted that it would have benefitted the Commission to consider the sober advice of the CPUC’s own Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee (http://a4nr.org/?p=3905). “Sadly, the CPUC does not seem to have instilled the lessons learned from the abrupt closure of the San Onofre reactors five years ago, particularly with regard to local area impacts.”
As ratepayer advocates, A4NR was pleased to spearhead a Settlement Agreement within the Joint Proposal that reduced by more than two-thirds the amount of money PG&E had requested for their aborted attempt to relicense the reactors for 20 additional years. A4NR intervened at the CPUC in 2010 to oppose PG&E’s request. “We believed it was premature and imprudent at the time,” stated Becker, “and are glad that ratepayers will finally see some relief from this ill-fated venture.”
As well, A4NR and PG&E also reached an agreement under which PG&E will review all pending capital projects at Diablo to consider whether any should be cancelled in light of the plant’s imminent retirement. If any projects are cancelled, PG&E has agreed to waive rate recovery for a substantial portion of the costs incurred to date.
