By admin 
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to leave the future of Diablo Canyon beyond 2030 to California’s next governor. There’s just one problem with kicking that can down the road: You don’t get to kick the power bill with it.
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For more than a decade, I have argued that California cannot demand more electricity, eliminate dependable sources of generation and then act surprised when reliability suffers and costs climb.
I made that argument while serving in the Legislature, when supporting nuclear energy wasn’t exactly fashionable in Sacramento. I made it when California planned to close Diablo Canyon. And I authored legislation to open California to the next generation of nuclear technology.
California needs nuclear power
Newsom eventually recognized that reality. When California faced serious concerns about grid reliability, he reversed course and helped keep Diablo Canyon operating. I gave him credit then, and I still do.
He showed that when the facts demanded it, he was willing to put political orthodoxy aside and do the right thing. That is what makes his unwillingness to secure Diablo Canyon’s future now so profoundly disappointing.
The federal government has already renewed Diablo Canyon’s operating licenses for another 20 years. The plant provides roughly 9% of California’s electricity, 24 hours a day, without carbon emissions from generation. California’s own Energy Commission expects peak electricity demand to grow by more than 20 gigawatts by 2045, equivalent to the output of roughly nine Diablo Canyons.
Then there’s the cost. New research from MIT Sloan estimates that keeping Diablo Canyon operating through 2045 could save California ratepayers more than $7.6 billion, roughly $500 million annually, compared with the least-cost alternative studied. Under another scenario, the savings exceed $20 billion.
This isn’t only about what families pay at the kitchen table. How are we going to keep industry in California if we cannot provide reliable electricity at a competitive price?
When manufacturers, agricultural processors, technology companies and other employers decide California has become too expensive, we lose jobs. We lose paychecks. We lose families who support local businesses and communities. And, frankly, we lose tax revenue supporting the General Fund and the services Sacramento promises to provide.
Newsom — along with the Legislature — can still act
Newsom has had nearly eight years as governor. He understands this issue. In fact, he has already demonstrated that he understands why Diablo Canyon matters. So finish the job.
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Here’s why his support is critical: Often, the rule of thumb is that the Legislature will not push something unless the governor signals he will sign it. Without the signal, what’s the point?
Still, this responsibility does not rest with the governor alone.
Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas are people I consider friends and had the privilege of working alongside on major issues during my time in the Legislature.
I implore them to lead. Put Diablo Canyon’s future before the Legislature. Hold the hearings. Examine the economics, reliability and safety. Let both sides make their case. Then give every member of the Legislature the opportunity to stand up and be counted on whether Diablo Canyon should operate through 2045.
California families and employers cannot afford for everyone to wait for the next governor to make the decision.
California’s support of nuclear cannot be limited to Diablo
Diablo Canyon should only be the beginning of this conversation.
California needs a strong nuclear alliance bringing together labor, industry, scientists, communities, environmental voices, policymakers and, most importantly, ratepayers. We should be talking about advanced nuclear technology. We should revisit state policies written for the nuclear debates of another generation. And we should stop pretending nuclear and renewable energy are adversaries.
MIT’s modeling found solar, wind, storage and geothermal would still provide more than 90% of California’s generation in 2045 even with Diablo Canyon operating. Keeping the plant online reduces other generation, storage and transmission California would otherwise need to build.
Keep Diablo Canyon operating through 2045. Give advanced nuclear a future in California. Give employers another reason to stay, and give California families a fighting chance at lowering the cost of keeping their lights on.
Devon J. Mathis is founder and CEO of Azimuth PR and a former California state assemblymember who represented the Central Valley from 2014 to 2024.
This story was originally published August 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM with the headline “Newsom kicks the can on Diablo Canyon. Ratepayers get the bill | Opinion.”
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