The $382 million rubberstamp approval on December 4 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), added to last December’s $723 million, mean this Commission has now signed off on $1.1 billion in above-market costs to run Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in 2025 and 2026. And don’t forget the $1.4 billion zero-interest forgivable loan state taxpayers threw into the pot.
All Santa Barbara County residents are on the hook for these Diablo costs, including SoCal Edison customers, but only the PG&E customers get any of the benefits from PG&E’s surplus revenue collection.
But the CPUC continues to say cost-effectiveness is not a relevant issue, as ratepayers struggle with rising utility bills. Maybe Governor Newsom will explain why in the New Hampshire primary…