In a long-running battle, federal regulators told the operators of California's last nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, that it would not extend the operating life of the reactor beyond its shutdown date of 2025. This decision was made despite Governor Newsom's position that the plant should keep running to insure blackouts are avoided in the state's transition to renewable power. The current operating licenses for the two reactors expired in 2024 and 2025
Newsom and the legislature voided in September an agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric in 2016 to close the plant, allowing the company to seek renewals of its federal licenses. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission rejected the idea of going back to the original renewal application, saying do so would violate principles of good regulation and transparency. The agency said new information is needed to assess the current condition of the facility, which has been heavily criticized for its location over a fault zone at the edge of the ocean. PGE has said it is planning a new application for an extension of two decades. PGE has warned that license renewal will require "new maintenance activities" and modifications of unknown cost. Crtics depict the re-start plan as a huge financial giveaway to the giant utility company.
Newsom's decision to support extension of the plant's operating life shocked environmentalists especially since he had been at the forefront of efforts to close the plant. Diablo Canyon produces only 9% of California's electricity.