If you care what happens to Diablo Canyon after it closes, don't miss this meeting

Since PG&E first announced it would shutter Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in the next decade, many in the community have had one question: What happens when the plant closes?

We'll be one step close to an answer Wednesday after the first meeting of a group that will shape the decommission process going forward.

In September 2016, when PG&E's application to close the plant was pending, the utility company stayed mum on what exactly decommissioning would look like — saying that it wasn't yet the time to discuss the specifics.The state approved the closure in January, and plans for decommissioning can now move ahead.

To help with that, PG&E formed a Diablo Canyon Decommission Engagement Panel, made up of 11 community members with varied interests in the plant, to inform PG&E's site-specific decommissioning and cost plans.

The group will be especially important in shaping the future use and potential repurposing of the Diablo Canyon site and the more than 12,000 acres of land that surround it.

The panel's first meeting begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the San Luis Obispo County Government Center, 1055 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo. The event, which is open to the public, kicks off with an hour-long open house at 6 p.m.

The meeting will introduce the panel members, review its purpose, provide a decommissioning overview and establish a schedule of future meeting topics. There will also be a public comment period.

PG&E representatives will be on hand to provide an update on the planning status and answer questions.

For more information about the panel, including biographies of the panel members, visit www.pge.com/engagementpanel.

This story was originally published May 29, 2018 at 4:23 PM with the headline "If you care what happens to Diablo Canyon after it closes, don't miss this meeting."