Diablo Canyon Power Plant
California's last nuclear plant, saved from closure at the eleventh hour
Location
History & Background
Diablo Canyon was built between 1968 and 1985 on the central California coast near Avila Beach. Unit 1 entered commercial service in 1985 and Unit 2 in 1986. PG&E announced in 2016 that the plant would close at the expiration of its original 40-year licenses in 2024–2025. In September 2022, California Senate Bill 846 reversed course, authorizing PG&E to seek a license extension and providing $1.4 billion in state loans to keep the plant operating.
Why It Matters
Diablo Canyon generates roughly 9% of California's electricity and 17% of the state's zero-emission electricity. Its closure would have made California's 2045 carbon-neutrality target substantially harder to achieve. The 2022 reversal was unprecedented for an American nuclear plant scheduled for retirement, and it was driven primarily by grid reliability concerns following the August 2020 rolling blackouts.
Environmental Impact
Diablo Canyon displaces roughly 7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year that would otherwise come from natural gas-fired generation. The plant uses once-through cooling from the Pacific Ocean, an approach generally prohibited at California coastal power plants under state policy. The legislature granted Diablo Canyon a continued exemption.
In the News & Controversies
The original closure agreement was the result of a complex 2016 deal between PG&E, environmental groups (including Friends of the Earth and the NRDC), and state regulators. The 2022 reversal split California environmentalists, with some welcoming the carbon-emissions benefit and others continuing to oppose nuclear power.
Fun Facts
- Diablo Canyon sits about 3 miles from the Shoreline Fault, discovered in 2008, and within 50 miles of the Hosgri Fault—both of which have triggered regulatory reviews.
- PG&E's decision to seek a license extension was the first such reversal in US commercial nuclear history.
- The plant employs roughly 1,400 people and indirectly supports about 4,000 jobs in San Luis Obispo County.
- Diablo Canyon produces more electricity than every coal plant remaining in California combined—because California has only one coal plant left.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Diablo Canyon closing?▾
Not anymore. The original plan was to close the plant in 2024–2025. In 2022, California reversed that plan and authorized PG&E to seek a federal license extension through at least 2030.
How much of California's electricity comes from Diablo Canyon?▾
Diablo Canyon supplies roughly 9% of California's electricity and about 17% of the state's zero-emission electricity.
Is Diablo Canyon on an earthquake fault?▾
The plant is near several active faults, including the Hosgri Fault discovered in 1971 and the Shoreline Fault discovered in 2008. The plant has been progressively reanalyzed against updated seismic models and currently meets NRC seismic safety requirements.
About Nuclear Power
Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to generate heat, which produces steam to drive turbines. They provide reliable baseload power with virtually no direct carbon emissions, though they produce radioactive waste.
Other Nuclear Power Plants in United States of America
| Name | Capacity | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Vogtle Electric Generating Plant | 4.5 GW | Georgia Power |
| Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station | 3.9 GW | Arizona Public Service |
| Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant | 3.5 GW | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station | 2.8 GW | Constellation Energy |
| South Texas Nuclear Generating Station | 2.7 GW | NRG Energy |
Related Reading
Data Information
Data Sources
Power plant data is based on the Global Power Plant Database by World Resources Institute, in collaboration with Google, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Enipedia, and the Global Energy Observatory. Editorial content on this page is curated and reviewed by the StatsPanda team using publicly available reporting and operator filings.
Disclaimer
Information found on this page is for informational purposes only. Power plant specifications, ownership, and operational status may have changed since the data was last updated. Please verify critical information with official sources.