To give everyone some perspective, the two reactors in the San Onofre power plant generated a total of 2250 MW. O'Shaughnessy Dam (in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir) generates a measly 230 MW and in total, there are FOURTEEN natural gas plants that generate more than 200 MW in the entirety of the United States operating today.

California consumed about 272 billion kWh in 2011 [1], which is 272 million MWh so that $4.11 increase is SIGNIFICANT. Replacing 2.25 GW of generating capability + building infrastructure for growing needs is not simple, cheap, or fast and if we keep going this way (removing high generating nuclear reactors and trying to replace it with renewables) then we will soon be in a situation like Germany. Hint: California can't afford an HVDC build out!

Also, the NRC approved the building of two new reactors after Fukushima in Georgia [2], so I'm curious why uncertainty about the license renewal? The Georgia reactors are also pressurized-type, although they aren't going on 60 years.

[1] http://www.ecdms.energy.ca.gov/elecbyutil.aspx

[2] http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nucle... - Thankfully only one person voted no for reasons of Black Swan/Fukushima.