...transitions are costly as the state prepares to the future. BTW, the Benicia refinery has been unprofitable for awhile now...
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AI Overview
California currently has a legal, longstanding moratorium on new nuclear power plants, originally passed in 1976, which prohibits new construction until the federal government develops a solution for long-term nuclear waste disposal. However, the state is reconsidering this stance, with recent legislative discussions and potential moves to allow for new technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) to meet climate goals.
Current Status and Developments:
Moratorium: The California Energy Commission (CEC) cannot approve new nuclear plants until safe, permanent high-level waste disposal is available.
Shifting Attitudes: Due to pressing climate goals and energy demands, there is a renewed, cautious interest in new, safe, and advanced nuclear technologies like SMRs.
Legislative Action: There are active discussions in the California legislature to potentially exempt advanced, smaller reactors from the existing moratorium.
Diablo Canyon: The state is actively working to keep its last operating plant, Diablo Canyon Power Plant, open past its planned retirement date to ensure grid reliability.
While a full-scale, immediate reversal of the 1976 ban hasn't happened yet, California is moving toward a more open, "all of the above" energy strategy, which could eventually include next-generation nuclear, notes the Anthropocene Institute.
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