Cities throughout San Luis Obispo County are officially asking the State of California for more of a say in the closure of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
In a join letter to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Morro Bay, Paso Robles and Pismo Beach all said they're not opposed to the closure, but are concerned with some issues surrounding PG&E's proposal.
The cities want the utility to ensure continued safe operation of the plant through its planned closure in 2025. In addition, they're asking for solutions regarding the long-term storage of nuclear waste at the site.
San Luis Obispo City Attorney Christine Dietrick told KCBX the letter also expresses concern regarding economic ramifications and possible future uses for the facility, including as a desalination plant.
"There's a lot of issues that we would have liked to have had the opportunity to discuss and negotiate with PG&E prior to the submission of the proposal," said Dietrick. "But we certainly want those discussions to occur prior to the conclusion of the CPUC process."
In addition to the formal request, the coalition of cities also wants to generate an independent, third-party economic analysis of the closure to better address possible outcomes and solutions.