Federal regulators Jan. 24 rejected Pacific Gas and Electric’s license renewal application to extend the life of California’s last nuclear power plant at Diablo Canyon, saying the utility’s application to stay open, originally submitted in 2009, would need to be updated for consideration.
The plant, which is located in San Luis Obispo County midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, has been planned for closure in 2025.
But California lawmakers, along with Gov. Gavin Newsom, agreed in September to spend $1.4 billion to keep it running until 2030, as the state has resorted to rolling blackouts in recent years as its aggressive plan to eliminate fossil fuels and switch to green energy has, at times, failed to deliver enough power to supply resident’s homes and businesses….