Committee hears recap of Diablo Canyon visit and discusses reliability and waste issues

A committee member presented a detailed recap of a visit to Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and led a discussion on how extended operation of the plant affects regional reliability and planning.

The presenter described the site as highly secure, with mock control-room training facilities and extensive safety features, and said the plant’s two large turbines generate significant baseload capacity. “Each of those two turbines was enough to produce electricity for 2,000,000 people,” the presenter said, using the visit to frame questions about whether extending nuclear operations is part of the region’s energy future.

Why it matters: Committee members used the presentation to probe trade-offs between reliability and cost. The presenter said operating on short-term extensions increases operating costs (retention bonuses and expensive short-term staffing), and that many transmission and tax incentives that once made large storage and solar projects cheaper are reduced, which complicates planning for new generation and transmission.

Discussion touched on spent fuel storage, reprocessing policies that are banned in the U.S. since the Carter era, and the regulatory complexity of extending a license, which would require multiple agency approvals. Committee members asked whether the plant could be restarted if it were shut down and discussed alternatives such as hydro storage and batteries for seasonal or multi‑day needs.

What’s next: The presentation served as background for longer-term energy planning and the committee’s outreach on electrification and resilience; no formal action was taken on the matter during the meeting.