(a) (1) The commission shall cause an assessment to be completed by no later than July 1, 2018, of the adverse and beneficial economic impacts, and the net economic effects, for the County of San Luis Obispo and the surrounding regions, that could occur if the Diablo Canyon Units 1 and 2 powerplant were to temporarily or permanently shut down before the powerplant’s current operating licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expire or when the Pacific Gas and Electric Company closes the powerplant upon the expiration of its current licenses. The assessment shall include a review, as described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), of potential actions for the state and local jurisdictions to consider in order to mitigate the adverse economic impact of a shutdown.
(2) The assessment shall be conducted by an independent third party, selected in accordance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (c).
(b) The assessment shall consist of, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Estimates of any changes in local tax revenues, changes in workforce populations, changes in indirect or induced economies, and potential impacts to ratepayers from a shutdown.
(2) A review of the economic impacts that affected the region surrounding the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station after it was decommissioned by the Southern California Edison Company and of the relevant decommissioning plans of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
(3) A review of regions in the United States similar to the County of San Luis Obispo and the surrounding regions that have experienced the decommissioning of a nuclear powerplant and of the resulting economic impacts of the decommissioning on those regions.
(4) Identification of any contingency plans that could mitigate the adverse economic impact of a shutdown to state and local jurisdictions, the local workforce, and entities receiving enhanced tax revenue.
(c) (1) The commission shall issue a request for proposal for the independent third party that will ensure that the selected party is able to make an independent review and analysis of the data described in subdivision (b).
(2) The independent third party shall consult with the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, the governing board of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California at Berkeley, the regional economic development group of the County of San Luis Obispo, and other relevant governmental entities or community-based organizations to assist in an accurate assessment of the economic and workforce impacts of a shutdown.
(d) The commission shall make the assessment publicly available on its Internet Web site, distribute copies to relevant state and local jurisdictions, and convene a public forum in the County of San Luis Obispo on the findings and recommendations of the assessment.
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 674, Sec. 1. (SB 968) Effective September 26, 2016.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018