The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) recent decision to exempt Diablo Canyon Power Plant from an independent safety review directly affects whether the plant can continue operating without full expert scrutiny. By waiving review by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), the NRC has removed a critical layer of independent oversight at a time when it is needed most.
The ACRS has a long track record of strengthening nuclear safety—raising concerns about reactor aging, reactor vessel embrittlement, and steam generator degradation, and identifying risks in complex digital control system upgrades. Following the Fukushima disaster, the committee played a key role in improving U.S. safety standards, particularly around prolonged station blackouts and emergency preparedness. These are not abstract issues; they are the kinds of interventions that reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failure.
Eliminating this review is not a minor procedural change. It represents a fundamental weakening of safeguards designed to protect the public.
This decision also reflects a broader pattern of declining federal oversight. As the NRC compresses review timelines and sidelines independent expertise, the risks do not disappear—they are shifted onto the public and state governments.
That puts the burden squarely on California. Diablo Canyon sits near seismic faults and is operating beyond its original design life. Under these circumstances, allowing continued operation without the highest level of independent scrutiny is simply not prudent.
California lawmakers must step in where federal regulators are falling short. Public safety should not depend on a diminished review process.
Molly Johnson
Templeton
This article appears in March 26 – April 2, 2026.
