Cristina Talacko and Jeffrey Donovan’s claim that California would be “throwing $30 billion into the Pacific” by closing Diablo Canyon in 2030 makes for a catchy line, but it misrepresents the choice before California (“Don’t throw Diablo Canyon into the sea,” Aug. 13).
California is not deciding whether to build a new $30 billion nuclear plant. It is deciding whether to keep two aging reactors operating for another 15 years—and continue paying the costs of operating, maintaining, and ultimately decommissioning them.
Yes, Diablo provides electricity and good-paying jobs. No one disputes that. But those benefits do not make seismic questions disappear, nor do they prove that extending Diablo is the least expensive way to maintain a reliable grid.
The authors cite an analysis claiming continued operation could save $8 billion to $20 billion. But that is not the only analysis. An Environmental Working Group/TURN analysis estimated that extending Diablo to 2045 could cost ratepayers $20 billion to $45 billion. A UC Santa Barbara 2035 Initiative analysis also found that continuing to operate Diablo could impose significant costs on California electricity customers.
The outcome depends on assumptions about replacement resources, transmission, storage, reliability, and future demand. California is not choosing between Diablo and nothing. We are building solar, wind, geothermal, battery storage, transmission, and demand-response resources.
“Firm power” is not synonymous with nuclear power. It is a policy choice—not a scientific fact—that California must keep Diablo operating until 2045.
Diablo Canyon is not a crown jewel being thrown into the ocean. It is a choice. California deserves an honest accounting of its costs, risks, and alternatives before committing to another 15 years.
Molly Johnson
Templeton
This article appears in Aug 20-27, 2026.
Well said, Ms. Johnson. Diablo is needed right now, but in 10 years, the Valley Clean Infrastructure solar and battery storage facility should come online, providing 21 GW of solar and 20 GW of battery power. In addition, once the hysteria of the Trump years is in the rearview mirror, the state will develop offshore wind.
As Ms. Johnson notes, the seismic risk has become greater in recent years. Scientists estimate that stress on the San Andreas fault is at its highest level in 1,000 years.