Four members added to Diablo Canyon decommissioning panel

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel (DCDEP) have announced the appointment of four new members and the reappointment of two members to the panel.

The newly appointed members, Ernest 'Gerry' Finn, Jessica Kendrick, Patrick Lemieux, and Frances Romero, will begin their terms in May 2023. Kara Woodruff and Bob Pavlik have been reappointed, according to a report by Paso Robles Daily News.

The panel provides community input to PG&E as the company prepares a site-specific plan for the future decommissioning of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) and spent fuel management. The panel comprises community members who reflect diverse viewpoints in proximity to the plant, and they were selected through a competitive process that involved in-depth reviews by current panel members and PG&E representatives.

According to Vice President of Business and Technical Services Maureen Zawalick, the panel has been invaluable to the DCPP decommissioning activity planning and process. She added that PG&E is currently pursuing continued operations, as directed by the state, to ensure electric viability for all Californians, while also planning for the eventual decommissioning of DCPP.

The DCDEP members include newly appointed members Finn, Kendrick, Lemieux, and Romero, as well as reappointed members Pavlik and Woodruff, and other members from the community, including north coast residents:

• Michael Lucas, Morro Bay
• Linda Seeley, Los Osos

The panel's diversity ensures that PG&E hears from all voices in the community regarding the future of DCPP lands and facilities. PG&E looks forward to working with the previous and new panel members to continue their important work.