Former Energy Secretary Talks Diablo Canyon, Data Centers at UCSB Summit

Former U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm highlighted California's pressing need to diversify its energy portfolio and protect ratepayers from increasing costs during the REACH Central Coast Ideas and Action Summit at UC Santa Barbara. Granholm, a board member for Southern California Edison Co., pointed to significant electricity demand increases anticipated by 2030, largely driven by data centers and vehicle electrification. Granholm proposed that large energy consumers like data centers should contribute to grid capacity or agree to reduce demand during peak times to help lower rates for all consumers. This sentiment was echoed by a report from the California watchdog Little Hoover Commission, chaired by Pedro Nava of Santa Barbara, which advocated for data centers to bear the costs they impose on the electrical grid, rather than burdening average families with high utility bills. The summit also touched on the role of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, which Granholm supported keeping operational as part of California's energy mix. The plant continues to secure approvals from state agencies, including the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, with local leaders like Santa Barbara County Supervisor Bob Nelson and Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino emphasizing its economic and energy importance. Granholm also expressed excitement about long-duration energy storage and new clean energy technologies, despite issues with older battery storage facilities like the one in Moss Landing.