New State Law Safeguards Public Health, Safety as Diablo Canyon Closes
Author: Administrative Office
Date: 9/19/2018 5:11 PM
Governor signs bipartisan bill to ease the local and statewide impacts of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant closure.
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bipartisan bill into law today that will ease the local and statewide impacts of the impending closure of Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the last nuclear power plant in California.
The bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1090, was introduced in March by Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) and Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo).
“We can’t thank Senator Monning and Assemblyman Cunningham enough for their efforts, and the community for their incredible outpouring of support,” said John Allan Peschong, the Board of Supervisors Chair and District 1 Supervisor for the County of San Luis Obispo. “This law will help ensure the safety, health and economic security of our community as we transition to a post-Diablo Canyon economy and environment.”
The new law calls on the California Public Utilities Commission to approve elements of the Joint Proposal of PG&E and others to retire Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, as modified by the community impact mitigation settlement, which was submitted to the commission as part of the power plant’s retirement application.
“This has been an incredible regional collaboration and victory for San Luis Obispo County," said San Luis Obispo City Manager Derek Johnson on behalf of the local coalition of cities. "SB 1090 provides one-time economic assistance for communities that have shouldered the burden of living with a nuclear power plant in their backyard for the last three decades to provide the rest of the State with clean, reliable power. This is a positive step forward and the first step of many that we need to take to address the economic impacts of Diablo Canyon’s planned closure in 2025."
Senate Bill 1090 will result in:
- Full funding of the $350 million employee retention program
- The community impact mitigation settlement of $85 million
- An integrated resource plan to ensure that there is no increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to the retirement of Diablo Canyon
“This is outstanding news. We’re extremely pleased to know that the state supports our community as the local governments continue to work together to reduce the impacts of the power plant’s closure on the people we serve,” said County Administrative Officer Wade Horton.
