"A panel of three federal administrative law judges has announced it is delaying Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant’s license renewal until at least December 2015.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board on Tuesday put NRC staff and PG&E on notice that it cannot make a decision on license renewal until detailed seismic studies of faults around the plant are complete and ordered the utility to submit monthly reports starting in July on the status of those studies.

The ruling confirmed a decision last week by the NRC to delay license renewal until seismic studies are done and added new reporting requirements.

It also recognized that the state Coastal Commission has a role in license renewal. That agency must certify that the renewal is consistent with the state Coastal Zone Management Act."

David Sneed reports for the San Luis Obispo Tribune June 9, 2011. [2]