Diablo Canyon License Renewal Exemption Weighed by Ninth Circuit

A three-judge appellate court panel in California questioned Wednesday whether they should hear a case challenging the US nuclear regulator’s decision to allow Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to keep operating while it reviews the plant’s license renewal application.

The case, if taken up by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, would pose a hurdle to the continued operation of the controversial nuclear plant in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The state’s Democratic leaders enacted a last-minute measure in 2022 to possibly keep the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. plant’s two units running until 2029 and 2030 to ...