Bill to mitigate Diablo Canyon closure passes Assembly committee

A bill designed to mitigate some of the impacts of closing Diablo Canyon Power Plant passed out of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee on Wednesday and will now move to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

Senate Bill 1090, authored by Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, and Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, directs the California Public Utilities Commission to approve elements of a joint proposal, as modified by the community impact mitigation settlement, that was submitted as part of the nuclear power plant’s retirement application.

SB 1090 requires the CPUC to approve the community impact mitigation settlement of $85 million to offset the $1 billion the plant annually contributes to the Central Coast economy and to approve fully funding the $350 million employee retention program.

Diablo Canyon provides thousands of jobs, not only to regular Pacific Gas and Electric Co. employees but also to contractors’ employees and part-time workers brought on to help when reactors are shut down for refueling and routine maintenance.

The bill would also direct the CPUC to manage its integrated resource plan to ensure there is no increase in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of Diablo Canyon’s retirement.

The nuclear plant provides about 10 percent of PG&E’s total electric power portfolio.

“SB 1090 is necessary to ensure that Diablo Canyon remains operational through 2025 and continues to provide us with safe, dependable, clean energy,” Cunningham said. “It’s critical for our local economy, our state’s energy grid and our communities.”

https://lompocrecord.com/news/local/bill-to-mitigate-diablo-canyon-closure-passes-assembly-committee/article_9ece0d11-7097-5cc9-a815-5cf61e94a5d3.html

/ In the News