California Regulators Grant Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant 5-Year Extension

The extension gives the state extra time to fully transition to renewable energy sources, officials said.

Aerial view of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, which sits on the edge of the Pacific Ocean at Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, Calif., on March 17, 2011. Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

In two recent decisions, state and federal energy regulators have approved a plan by Pacific Gas and Electric to continue running California’s last working nuclear power plant beyond 2025—which will boost energy supplies for the state as it transitions to renewable energy.

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission elected to review PG&E’s license renewal application Dec. 19, allowing the utility to continue operating Diablo Canyon’s two remaining reactors, which would have expired in 2024 and 2025.