Diablo Canyon needs to spend up to $12B to stay open

[kristopher]

7. Not even close.

Vermont Yankee doesn't apply. The operators of Diablo Canyon have to operate the plant within the guidelines of the environmental and water use plans. They have 3 options for doing that:
1) build the towers for $8-$12B and meet standards 100%
2) Install screening for system for about $500M AND reduce production of electricity
3) Pump water from offshore into the holding area ($500M) AND reduce production of electricity


The decision by the operators will be an economic choice on their part, but their 4th option, if none of those choices allows them to operate at a profit, is to close the plant.