OAKLAND, Calif. (June 21, 2016)—Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) commitment to replace all of the electricity supplied by Diablo Canyon with a combination of zero-carbon resources, once the nuclear plant is taken offline, should ensure that the state will not backslide on its greenhouse gas reduction goals as a result of the company’s decision to not relicense the plant. In 2014, generation from the plant made up 21 percent of PG&E’s power mix. The plant, located near Avila Beach, in San Luis Obispo County, is the last remaining nuclear power plant still operating in California. Generation from the plant supplied about 6 percent of California’s power needs in 2014.
Below is a statement by Laura Wisland, a senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
“It’s great news that PG&E will replace the lost electricity generation from Diablo Canyon with a portfolio of zero-carbon resources, including energy efficiency, renewables, demand response and energy storage. PG&E is already on track to reach 33 percent renewables by 2020 and 50 percent by 2030. This decision to invest in additional zero-carbon resources to replace Diablo’s generation helps ensure that the retirement of Diablo is managed to not contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, and further solidifies PG&E’s reputation as a world-class leader in clean energy investments.”