Section 8322 Of Chapter 2. Decommissioning Of Nuclear Facilities From California Public Utilities Code >> Division 4.1. >> Chapter 2.
8322
. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) The citizens of California should be protected from exposure
to radiation from nuclear facilities.
(b) It is in the best interests of all citizens of California that
the costs of electricity generated by nuclear facilities be fairly
distributed among present and future California electric customers so
that customers are charged only for costs that are reasonably and
prudently incurred.
(c) The costs of electricity generated by nuclear facilities,
including the costs of their decontamination and decommissioning,
should be reduced to the lowest level consistent with public health
and safety.
(d) The ultimate costs of the decommissioning of nuclear
facilities are of significant magnitude, and introduce an element of
financial risk to both electric customers and investors unless
prudent provision is made for defraying those costs.
(e) In order to reduce both risk and ultimate costs for all of its
citizens, the State of California should establish a comprehensive
framework for timely payment of the costs of decommissioning, and
provide for allocation of risks and costs among the respective
interests.
(f) The principal considerations in establishing a state policy
respecting the economic aspects of decommissioning are as follows:
(1) Assuring that the funds required for decommissioning are
available at the time and in the amount required for protection of
the public.
(2) Minimizing the cost to electric customers of an acceptable
level of assurance.
(3) Structuring payments for decommissioning so that electric
customers and investors are treated equitably over time so that
customers are charged only for costs that are reasonably and
prudently incurred.
(g) Decommissioning nuclear facilities causes electric utility
employees to become unemployed through no fault of their own, and
these employees are entitled to reasonable job protection the costs
of which are properly includable in the costs of decommissioning.