The California Public Utilities Commission has approved $722.6 million in ratepayer costs to cover the continued operation of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant — the state’s only functioning nuclear energy source.
The plant was scheduled to begin shutting down in November, but its lifespan was extended in a last-minute legislative deal struck by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022.
The extension was intended to ease California’s transition to green power and alleviate blackouts during periods of extreme heat, but now comes at a time when the energy demands of artificial intelligence and data centers are rapidly growing.
Read more in the Los Angeles Times.
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