California’s last nuke plant to seek US OK for extended run

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The utility that oversees California’s last operating nuclear power plant is taking steps to seek federal approval for an extended lifespan, just hours after the Legislature opened a pathway for a run that could last through 2030. The five-year extension for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant was pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who warned California could face blackouts if the reactors were retired too soon as the state transitions to renewables. Many questions remain, including whether the Biden administration will cover some of the cost of upgrading the plant. Environmentalists and other critics say the plant that began operating in the mid-1980s is unsafe.