SACRAMENTO
Xavier Becerra, the leading Democratic candidate for California governor, has sidestepped questions about whether he would lift the state's nearly 50-year ban on new nuclear reactors—even as energy pressures mount and his Republican opponent, Steve Hilton, has openly backed nuclear expansion.
The silence matters. California faces acute electricity demand, particularly from AI data centers in Silicon Valley that consume enormous amounts of power. Most major U.S. tech companies are now signing long-term contracts for nuclear energy to meet emissions targets while securing reliable baseload power. But California's state law, in effect since 1976, prohibits new reactor licensing and construction until the federal government solves the radioactive waste problem.
Lifting that moratorium could unlock billions in investment and allow California to participate in the national nuclear revival, where companies are building small modular reactors and microreactors across the country. Becerra has not said whether he would support it.
When asked about his position, Becerra's campaign pointed to past statements supporting the safe extension of Diablo Canyon's existing operations—a much narrower position than endorsing new construction.
He has also proposed a "Power Hour" initiative offering Californians free electricity for part of the day, which his campaign claims could cut household electric bills by roughly $1,000 annually.
Becerra, who served as California's attorney general and as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden, has consistently avoided a full nuclear endorsement. Democrats in California have historically opposed new nuclear plants, citing public health fears, radioactive waste concerns and earthquake risk.
Garry South, a veteran California Democratic strategist who has managed four gubernatorial campaigns, said the old anxieties persist. "Public fear regarding nuclear power as a disaster waiting to happen has not dissipated," South said. Any candidate who backed new reactors would be "relatively foolish" to do so as part of their energy platform, he added.
South noted that nuclear energy has been largely shut out of California's public conversation for decades, making it a third-rail issue for most politicians seeking statewide office.
