San Onofre Nuclear Generating station Decommission Questions and answers
Q. What is Decommissioning?
A. Decommissioning consists of decontamination, dismantling, shipment and final disposition of nuclear power plant components, and site rehabilitation. Disposition of plant components can take place either by re-use or depositing them into licensed, low-level radioactive waste repositories at any of several locations in the country.
Decommissioning is a condition of the plant's operating license from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
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Q.Why is SONGS 1 being decommissioned now?
A. Because now is the best time, based on reevaluation of SONGS 1's situation.
When SONGS 1 was shut down in 1992, the plan was to decommission the plant at the same time as SONGS 2 and 3, which won't be retired until at least 2022.
The recent reevaluation determined that decommissioning SONGS 1 sooner would result in less cost and use the knowledge of employees who are familiar with SONGS 1.
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Q. When will decommissioning occur?
A. Decommissioning began in 1999 and the majority of the plant's structures and facilities are expected to be decontaminated, dismantled and removed from the site by 2008.
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Q. How much will it cost to decommission Unit 1? How will it be paid for?
A. The cost is estimated at $460 million. Sufficient money is expected to be available to accomplish decommissioning now through a trust fund financed through rates that was established when the plant began operating.
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Q. Will there be any opportunities for public participation in these processes?
A. SONGS owners will conduct an active public education and information program to increase public awareness of the process and encourage public participation, especially in communities located near San Onofre.
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Q. Is decommissioning a safe process?
A. Yes. The decommissioning process is thorough and systematic, and planned in great detail with safety as the highest priority. The same care will be taken in decommissioning as was taken while the plant was operating.
All aspects of the decommissioning process will be carefully monitored and overseen by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.
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Q. How many US nuclear plants have been decommissioned?
A. Four utility-size nuclear power plants have undergone complete decommissioning, including Shippingport, Pennsylvania (72 MW), completed 1989; Pathfinder, South Dakota (66MW), completed in 1992; Shoreham, New York (849 MW), completed in 1994; and Fort St. Vrain, Colorado (330 MW); completed in 1996.
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Q. How long did SONGS 1 operate and how much electricity did it generate?
A. The unit operated from Jan. 1, 1968 to Nov. 30, 1992. It ceased operations under an agreement between the utility owners (Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric) and the Division of Ratepayer Advocates of the California Public Utilities Commission.
It produced about 53.35 billion kilowatt-hours (enough to energize 1 million households for 9 years). Its generating capacity was 450 megawatts (enough to energize about 500,000 homes at a time). For comparison, SONGS 2 and 3 generate 1,100 megawatts each.
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