The US Department of Energy is to conditionally provide Pacific Gas & Electric with a $1.1 billion grant to help prevent the closure of Diablo Canyon, California’s last nuclear power plant.
The funding comes from Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) programme, a $6 billion fund aimed at supporting the continued operation of the USA’s nuclear plants. It allows reactor owners and operators to apply for and bid on credits to support their continued operations. It was included in the infrastructure bill signed into law in November 2021.
PG&E applied for CNC funding in September 2022, the same day California’s governor Gavin Newsom signed into law legislation seeking to extend operations at Diablo Canyon for five years beyond its current licence expiration in 2025.
The facility would be a bridging plant while renewable energy and other low carbon resources come online in California.
