Inside California’s last nuclear power plant — as locals fear it’ll have catastrophic meltdown
Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California's last nuclear power facility, continues operations until at least 2030 after a planned 2022 closure was reversed. Located in San Luis Obispo, the plant generates about 8.5% of the state's electricity using nuclear fission to produce steam that drives turbines. While officials highlight safety measures and environmental protections, concerns persist over radioactive waste, ecosystem damage, and potential reactor vulnerabilities.
- ▪Diablo Canyon Power Plant draws billions of gallons of water daily from Diablo Cove for cooling, discharging it 16 to 17 degrees hotter.
- ▪The plant generates approximately 8.5% of California’s electricity and uses uranium fission to produce steam for power generation.
- ▪The California Coastal Commission reported that the plant’s cooling system kills nearly two billion larval fish annually, impacting marine ecosystems.
- ▪Mothers for Peace claims Unit 1’s reactor vessel is made with faulty material and is vulnerable to embrittlement, raising meltdown risks.
- ▪PG&E stores nuclear waste first in wet storage and later in reinforced dry casks, though the group has not tested for reactor embrittlement in over 20 years.
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Metro Inside California’s last nuclear power plant — as locals fear it’ll have catastrophic meltdown By Ross O'Keefe Published May 5, 2026, 12:50 p.m. ET Ever wondered what California’s last nuclear power plant looks like? PG&E showed KQED the inside of California’s last such plant, once facing a 2022 closing but now open until at least 2030, on a recent press tour. The power plant, Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo, sits near the unusually-warm water of Diablo Cove. The outlet said the plant draws billions of gallons of water per day to cool the equipment, then discharging the water 16 to 17 degrees hotter. 4 The power plant, Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo, sits near the unusually-warm water of Diablo Cove.
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