California Water News Daily Your Source For Water News in California
The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company have reached a $5.9 million settlement that recognizes the long-term impacts of dumping once-through cooling water into the Pacific Ocean from its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.
The settlement was filed with the San Luis Obispo Superior Court on May 25 following the Central Coast Water Board’s investigation of alleged NPDES permit violations associated with the thermal component of the plant’s discharge since it first began releasing once-through cooling water in 1985.
According to the Central Coast Water Board, the nuclear plant’s thermal discharge is about 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the water in the cove, which creates an artificial ecosystem and damages algae and small fish.
“We take protecting water quality and marine habitat very seriously,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Wolff, chair of the board. “This settlement demonstrates our commitment to safeguard and restore our region’s waters, and the board intends to apply the settlement funds toward high priority water quality projects in alignment with statewide priorities associated with environmental justice, public health, climate change, water supply resiliency or watershed functions that support healthy ecosystems.”
In addition to the $5.9 million settlement, PG&E has been making annual payments to mitigate the impacts of its discharges and is expected to pay approximately $38 million in total for the plant’s operating years 2015 through 2025. The Diablo Canyon plant will cease operation in August 2025.
These mitigation payments comply with the State Water Resources Control Board’s Once-Through Cooling Water Policy and are being used to support Marine Protected Areas on the Central Coast.
