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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 22 November 2022
Feds offer $1B to keep California’s last nuclear plant open

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT commercial nuclear power
and MATTHEW DALY plants with 92 nuclear reac-
Associated Press tors in 28 U.S. states.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The PG&E, which operates Dia-
Biden administration on blo Canyon, said the fed-
Monday announced pre- eral funds would be used
liminary approval to spend to pay back a loan from
up to $1.1 billion to help the state of California to
keep California’s last oper- support extending opera-
ating nuclear power plant tions at the plant and lower
running, even as officials costs for customers. PG&E
turned down a request spokesperson Suzanne
for financial aid to restart Hosn said there are still ad-
a closed nuclear plant in ditional federal and state
Michigan. approvals required to re-
The Energy Department new the plant’s license and
said it was creating a path to operate past 2025.
forward for the Diablo Can- PG&E is taking actions to
yon Power Plant on Califor- seek re-licensing while also
nia’s central coast to re- One of Pacific Gas & Electric’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s nuclear reactors in Avila Beach, continuing to plan for the
main open, with final terms Calif., is viewed Nov. 3, 2008. eventual decommission-
to be negotiated and final- Associated Press ing of the plant, Hosn said.
ized. The plant, which had Energy Secretary Jennifer had brought together a The Biden administration The seaside plant located
been scheduled to close Granholm said in a state- coalition to develop a plan launched the $6 billion ef- midway between Los An-
by 2025, was chosen in the ment. Approval of the fund- that would have reopened fort in April to rescue nu- geles and San Francisco
first round of funding for the ing came as the Energy a non-operational nuclear clear power plants at risk produces 9% of the state’s
administration’s new civil Department turned down plant for the first time in U.S. of closing, citing the need electricity. California Gov.
nuclear credit program, a request by the Palisades history. Despite the tem- to continue nuclear energy Gavin Newsom has said
intended to bail out finan- nuclear plant for funding porary setback, Whitmer as a carbon-free source continued operation of Di-
cially distressed owners or to restart operations. The “will continue competing of power that helps to ablo Canyon beyond 2025
operators of nuclear pow- plant along Lake Michigan to bring home transforma- combat climate change. is “critical to ensure state-
er reactors. The program was shut down last spring tional projects creating Nuclear power provides wide energy system reli-
is part of Biden’s effort to after generating electric- thousands of good-paying about 20% of electricity in ability” as climate change
cut planet-warming green- ity for more than 50 years. jobs to our state in autos, the U.S., or about half the stresses the energy system.
house gas emissions in half Granholm served two terms chips, batteries, and clean nation’s carbon-free en- Newsom signed legislation
by 2030, compared with as Michigan governor be- energy,’’ said spokesman ergy. The bailout program in September to open the
2005 levels. fore becoming Energy sec- Bobby Leddy. is the largest federal invest- way for the plant to oper-
“This is a critical step toward retary. A spokeswoman Palisades owner Holtec In- ment in saving financially ate for an additional five
ensuring that our domestic said Monday that Gran- ternational said they fully distressed nuclear reactors. years, a move he said was
nuclear fleet will continue holm’s tenure as governor understood that attempt- Most U.S. nuclear plants needed to ward off pos-
providing reliable and af- played no role in the deci- ing to restart a shuttered were built between 1970 sible blackouts as the state
fordable power to Ameri- sion on the Palisades plant. nuclear plant would be and 1990, and costs to op- transitions to solar, wind
cans as the nation’s largest Michigan’s Democratic both a challenge and a first erate the aging fleet are and other renewable en-
source of clean electricity,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for the nuclear industry. increasing. There are 53 ergy sources. q

Biden sending federal aid as N.Y. digs out from huge snowstorm

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Presi- granting her request for team and I will continue help communities dig out, it stopped by daybreak
dent Joe Biden is sending emergency aid, and add- working around the clock and secure every last dollar Monday. “We are finally
federal aid to western New ed in a news release, “My to keep everyone safe, to help rebuild and recover dry,” weather service me-
York to help state and lo- from this unprecedented, teorologist Liz Jurkowski
cal authorities clean up record-shattering historic said. A driving ban had
from the massive storm winter storm.” been lifted for most ar-
that dumped as much as 6 The National Weather Ser- eas affected by the storm
feet (1.8 meters) of snow in vice recorded 77 inches by Monday morning, but
western and northern New (196 centimeters) by Satur- schools remained closed in
York, the White House an- day in Orchard Park, home Buffalo and nearby towns.
nounced Monday. to the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, The snowstorm was at least
The emergency declara- and 72 inches (183 centi- the worst in New York state
tion authorizes the Depart- meters) in Natural Bridge, since November 2014,
ment of Homeland Security a hamlet near Watertown when some communities
and the Federal Emergen- off the eastern end of Lake south of Buffalo were hit
cy Management Agency Ontario. The storm forced with 7 feet (2.13 meters)
to coordinate disaster relief the Bills to move Sunday’s of snow over the course of
in 11 counties hit by the the game against the Cleve- three days.
lake-effect snowstorm Fri- land Browns to Detroit. The Jurkowski said snow-
day and Saturday. Cars drive through blowing, drifting snow on McKinley Parkway Bills won 31-23. fall totals for this storm
New York Gov. Kathy Ho- in Hamburg in Erie County, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. More snow fell overnight were still being tabulated
chul thanked Biden for Associated Press Sunday in some areas, but Monday.q