The $382 million rubberstamp approval on December 4 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), added to last December’s $723 million, mean this Commission has now signed off on $1.1 billion in above-market costs to run Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in 2025 and 2026. And don’t forget the $1.4 billion zero-interest forgivable loan state taxpayers threw into the pot.
All Santa Barbara County residents are on the hook for these Diablo costs, including SoCal Edison customers, but only the PG&E customers get any of the benefits from PG&E’s surplus revenue collection.
But the CPUC continues to say cost-effectiveness is not a relevant issue, as ratepayers struggle with rising utility bills. Maybe Governor Newsom will explain why in the New Hampshire primary.
David Weisman is executive director of the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility Legal Fund.
