Bill Text: CA SB931 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant: Community Impacts Mitigation Program.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Engrossed) 2026-05-26 - Referred to Com. on U. & E. [SB931 Detail]
Download: California-2025-SB931-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Senate
May 14, 2026 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
April 29, 2026 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
March 25, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 931
| Introduced by Senator Laird (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Addis) |
January 29, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 712.7 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 931, as amended, Laird.
Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant: Community Impacts Mitigation Program.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the commission to approve full funding for the Community Impacts Mitigation Program set forth in a settlement between the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and various entities, including public entities in the County of San Luis Obispo, to mitigate the impacts caused by the decommissioning of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant proposed by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Pursuant to existing law, the commission issued a decision authorizing the recovery of the costs of the Community Impacts Mitigation Program through the nuclear decommissioning nonbypassable charge. Existing law requires the commission to direct and authorize the extended operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant until October 31, 2030.
This bill would require the commission to approve the continued funding of the Essential Service Mitigation Fund established by the Community Impacts Mitigation Program for the extended operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant, as provided. The bill would require the funding be provided in 5 payments beginning equal annual installments of $8,333,333 to the Essential Service Mitigation Fund starting in fiscal year 2026–27 and ending in fiscal year 2030–31, with the final payment made before October 31, 2030.
The bill would require the County of San Luis Obispo to distribute the annual installments deposited into the Essential Service Mitigation Fund within 30 days of receipt of each deposit, as provided. By imposing requirements on the county to distribute those moneys, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Under existing law, a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because a violation of a commission action implementing the bill’s requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant.
The California Constitution requires
the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the
Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Digest Key
Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) The Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant is a two‑unit nuclear generating facility located in the County of San Luis Obispo that provides a significant share of California’s zero-carbon electricity supply and 8.5 percent of California’s total electricity generation.
(b) In Senate Bill 846 (Chapter 239 of the Statutes of 2022), the Legislature found that preserving the continued operations of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant for an additional five years beyond 2025 may be necessary to improve statewide energy system reliability
and to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases while additional renewable energy and zero-carbon resources come online, until those new renewable energy and zero-carbon resources are adequate to meet demand.
(c) The Legislature found in Senate Bill 846 that accordingly, it is the policy of the Legislature that seeking to extend the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant’s operations for a renewed license term is prudent, cost effective, and in the best interests of all California electricity customers.
(d) The Legislature found in Senate Bill 846 that the continued operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant is in all respects for the welfare and the benefit of the people of the state, to protect public peace, health, and safety, and constitutes an essential governmental
purpose.
(e) In 2018, the Legislature enacted Senate Bill 1090 (Chapter 561 of the Statutes of 2018) directing the Public Utilities Commission to authorize rate recovery for a Community Impacts Mitigation Program.
(f) In passing Senate Bill 1090, the Legislature intended to extend ratepayer funding for the Community Impacts Mitigation Program as an ongoing operating expense of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant through the end of its service life, which at the time, was scheduled for full decommissioning by the end of 2025.
(g) When the Legislature enacted Senate Bill 846 in 2022, authorizing the Public Utilities Commission to allow for the continued operation of Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant through 2030, it
neglected to clarify whether Community Impacts Mitigation Program funding should likewise continue if the commission authorized a later decommissioning date for the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant.
(h) The Legislature declares that support shall continue through the period of extended operations authorized by Senate Bill 846.
SEC. 2.
Section 712.7 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:712.7.
(a) The commission shall approve all of the following:(1) The full funding for the
community impact mitigation settlement proposed in Application 16-08-006.
(2) The full funding for the employee retention program proposed in Application 16-08-006.
(3) (A) Funding for the Essential Service Mitigation Fund established by the Community Impacts Mitigation Program approved in commission Decision 18-11-024 (November 29, 2018), Decision Implementing Senate Bill 1090 and Modifying Decision 18-01-022, in the amount authorized by Advice Letter 5461-E-A, during the period of extended operations prescribed in Section 712.8. The funding shall be recovered in rates in the same manner prescribed by paragraph (1) of subdivision (l) of Section 712.8.
(B) The full funding Funding shall be provided for in five payments, equal annual installments of eight million three hundred thirty-three thousand three hundred thirty-three dollars ($8,333,333) to the Essential Service Mitigation Fund established by the Community Impacts Mitigation Program, starting in fiscal year 2026–27 and continuing through fiscal year 2030–31, with the final payment made before October 31, 2030, the last day of operations of Unit 2 of the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant. The funding for the Community Impacts Mitigation Program
Essential Service Mitigation Fund shall not be extended beyond the time period specified in this subparagraph unless the Legislature enacts future legislation that explicitly extends funding for that program. fund.
(C) The County of San Luis Obispo shall distribute amounts deposited pursuant to subparagraph (B) within 30 days of receipt of each annual deposit to those entities that previously received allocations from the county from disbursements of the Essential Services Mitigation Fund established by the Community Impacts Mitigation Program approved in commission Decision 18-11-024. Amounts shall be distributed on
a weighted basis consistent with the relative shares reflected in the distribution methodology as approved in commission Decision 18-11-024, as applied using the unitary factors effective for the most recent fiscal year upon receipt of the annual deposit.
(b) The commission shall ensure that integrated resource plans are designed to avoid any increase in emissions of greenhouse gases as a result of the retirement of the Diablo Canyon Units 1 and 2 powerplant.
(c) The commission shall establish an expedited advice letter process for the approval and implementation pursuant to subdivision (a) of the community impact mitigation settlement and the employee retention program.
SEC. 3.
The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique circumstances related to the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant.No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
SEC. 4.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
SEC. 5.
This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:The Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant is currently in extended operation while the Community Impacts Mitigation Program funding ended at the end of 2025.
