Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Panel workshops begin

Future use of lands at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant after its planned closure by 2025 is the focus of workshops being held at Pismo Beach City Hall.

They are the first of four public workshops by the Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel.

PG&E says the panelists are local community members selected from across San Luis Obispo County to represent diverse community viewpoints on the future uses of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant facilities and the 12,000 acres of coastal lands that surround it.

“Much of this is still pristine, it’s amazing, it’s beautiful, it’s incredible”, said indigenous tribal member Mona Olivas Tucker who gave a presentation to the panel, “some of these places are important to us for what they may provide to us but some of them are important to us because they are sacred.”

“There’s whole areas that are pristine and the coastline along the Diablo lands, it’s just so pristine”, added Kathleen Phelps who also addressed the panel Friday afternoon, “it’s amazing, it’s really a special place and I think it really merits being protected.”

PG&E says input offered by the public and the panel will be evaluated as plans are developed for the nuclear power plant’s planned decommissioning by 2025.

“It’s important for people to know that we are still many, many years away from being able to make a final determination of what’s going to happen to those lands”, said PG&E spokesperson Suzanne Hosn, “at this point we’re hearing from many different organizations who have a keen interest in how these beautiful lands could potentially be reused in the future.”

The Decommissioning Engagement Panel will host another public workshop on the future of Diablo Canyon lands at Pismo Beach City Hall on Saturday, August 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m..

All day workshops on re-purposing of facilities at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant will be held at Atascadero City Hall on Friday, September 14 and Saturday, September 15.

PG&E says those interested in presenting ideas to the panel on the future use of Diablo Canyon lands and facilities at one of the workshops should reach the panel at Engagementpanel@pge.com.

Interested parties should include their name or entity, topic, contact information and a digital slide presentation.

The panel will notify those chosen to present in advance of the workshop.

The public is encouraged to attend the workshops however only those invited to present will be able to address the panel.

PG&E says the Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel was created to foster open and transparent dialogue between members of the local community and PG&E on matters related to DCPP decommissioning.

The panel meets monthly on matters related to DCPP decommissioning and the future use of DCPP lands and facilities.

The panel’s August 29 and September 26 public meetings will also focus on the future use of Diablo Canyon lands and facilities.

To find out more about panel public meetings, visit www.pge.com/engagementpanel.

The public is encouraged to offer comments to the panel at public meetings, or by navigating to the “Contact us” section of the panel’s website, which offers multiple options for submitting comments.

To tour the Diablo Canyon Power Plant lands and facilities, visitwww.pge.com/diablocanyontours.