The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), one of the world's safest and most productive nuclear power plants, is also a kind of academic institution. At SONGS, some of the nation's brightest scientists, physicists and engineers have come together to ensure plant operations are safe, reliable and in compliance with some of the world's most exacting standards and regulations.

These deep and unique resources have allowed SONGS employees to enrich the educational experience for local communities, fulfilling San Onofre's commitments to education.

Boy Scout Atomic Energy Merit Badge Program

For almost 20 years, SONGS has been a strong supporter of Boy Scouts of America. That partnership intensified in the early 1980s with the development of the San Onofre Atomic Energy Merit Badge Program. On the third Saturday of almost every month, experts from the plant, who are also active in local Scout troops, volunteer to teach Scouts about everything from isotopes of hydrogen to half-lives of radioactive elements. To date, more than 2,000 Scouts have earned their Atomic Energy Merit Badges at SONGS.