California's Last Nuclear Plant To Be Replaced With Renewable Energy

In a proposal announced yesterday, California may close its last remaining nuclear power plant and replace the power lost with renewable energy sources. Pacific Gas & Electric (PGE) has agreed to shut down the Diablo Canyon Power Plant when its license expires in 2025. In return, PGE has agreed to have at least 55% of its energy produced come from renewables by 2031. The state has already mandated that utilities reach a 50% renewables level by 2030.

The Diablo Canyon plant has been a source of concern almost since the day it was built – it is located close to a number of fault lines and it uses ocean water to cool its two reactors. So, closing the plant will eliminate the possibilities of a Fukushima-like disaster. And, with the costs of renewable energy dropping substantially as technology improves, it is quite possible that the plant will actually shut down well before the 2025 date in the agreement.