Disputes over safety, cost swirl a year after California OK’d plan to keep last nuke plant running

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than a year after California endorsed a proposal to extend the lifespan of its last nuclear power plant, disputes continue to swirl about potential safety risks and future costs tied to the decades-old reactors. The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant was scheduled to close by 2025. But the Legislature changed course in September 2022 and opened a path for the reactors to keep running. Just this week, operator Pacific Gas & Electric asked federal regulators to extend the plant’s operation while, supporters and critics clashed at a state hearing on Diablo Canyon’s future. Questions range from financing to whether the power is even needed.