AB 457

This bill requires the California Public Utilities Commission to commission an independent feasibility study on repurposing the existing water desalination facility at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant for local water supply use, as part of the plant's decommissioning process. The study aims to explore whether the desalination infrastructure currently used by the nuclear plant could be converted to provide desalinated water for local communities after the plant closes, with the goal of mitigating negative impacts to ratepayers. The commission must contract with a third party to conduct this study, which will be funded through the Public Utilities Commission Utilities Reimbursement Account rather than directly charging ratepayers.