Say no to fear-mongering

Posted November 28, 2011

North County (San Diego) Times editorial, November 25, 2011 – When it comes to nuclear power and policy, scientific evidence gets short shrift indeed. While left-leaning outlets have a fondness for condemning some religious conservatives' opposition to the scientific establishment's current theories on evolution and cosmology, too many liberals are similarly hostile to the legitimate science and engineering behind nuclear power.

This hostility has led to the specter of anti-nuclear activists pressuring the Solana Beach City Council to issue a proclamation urging the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Are there new studies suggesting the plant isn't safe? New evidence that suggests we're at risk?

No and no.

We have anti-nuclear fearmongers sharing admitted Internet rumors with the City Council, and making the provably false statement that no levels of radiation are ever safe.

Those anti-nuke activists had better dig a deep hole in the ground and line it with lead and never come out. Radiation bathes our universe, and we have evolved in that radiation-filled environment. (And guess what? Even in that lead-lined hole, there's still going to be some radiation.)

As with all risk, the level of danger is based on the dosage of the exposure ---- whether to hazardous chemicals, extreme temperatures or radiation. And particularly with radiation, a half-century of careful study has allowed scientists to determine pretty specifically at what exposure rates there is significant medical risk.

Internet rumors and shameless fearmongering are no substitute for science, and that the Solana Beach City Council is even considering a resolution regarding San Onofre seems to us to be an abdication of responsibility.

The City Council and its staff have neither the expertise nor the resources to second-guess the mainstream of scientific discovery and theory on radiation and nuclear power.

And to see self-proclaimed "clean energy" activists oppose nuclear energy is more than a little ironic, as a well-regulated nuclear industry is an important part of weaning us off fossil fuels and the known health threats they represent.

We urge the Solana Beach City Council, and other Southern California elected bodies targeted by the anti-nuclear movement, to reject this fearmongering campaign to shut down San Onofre.

Reprinted with permission of the North County Times

SCE Dedicates one of Largest Wetland Restoration Projects on West Coast

Posted November 7, 2011

The $90 million San Dieguito Wetlands Restoration Project that public officials and sponsors Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and the cities of Riverside and Anaheim dedicated today creates one of the largest West Coast estuaries.

One of three environmental projects to offset any adverse impact on marine life by the ocean water cooling system of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, or SONGS, the just-completed estuary revitalizes 150 acres of coastal wetlands. It includes creation of the coastal segment of the Coast to Crest Trail along the San Dieguito River, a perimeter that will help protect sensitive habitat and vegetation and allow public enjoyment of the wetlands area. The habitat already is a fish nursery and refuge for migratory waterfowl and endangered species, and provides open space for community recreation.

"Our primary responsibility at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is to provide utility customers with safe, reliable, affordable power," said Pete Dietrich, the Southern California Edison senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. "The wetlands project represents an additional responsibility we take seriously – careful stewardship of our region's invaluable marine environment."

The wetlands work augments two previously completed marine enhancement projects—the 174-acre, $46 million Wheeler North Giant Kelp Reef off San Clemente and the Hubbs White Sea Bass Hatchery in Carlsbad—to create a comprehensive environmental mitigation plan for the nearby nuclear power plant. SONGS uses ocean water for a non-nuclear cooling system. Innovative technologies prevent any adverse impact on more than 94 percent of marine life near the plant’s intake system. However, the cooling system does impact some small fish and fish larvae that the environmental mitigation projects more than offset.

Watch the KFMB-TV news report.

Alert Ended at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Posted November 1, 2011 - Updated 6:45 p.m. PDT

ROSEMEAD, Calif., November 1, 2011 — At 6:07 pm PDT, Southern California Edison (SCE) exited the alert declared today following an ammonia leak at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and is transitioning from emergency operations back to normal operations.

Access to all areas of the plant has been restored. SCE is currently evaluating the cause of the incident and taking appropriate corrective actions.

The leak, in the non-nuclear section of the plant, has been stopped and contained. The approximately 25 gallons of leaked ammonia was collected in a basin underneath the tank that was designed for that purpose.

No radioactive material was released and there was no danger to the public.

SCE declared the alert at approximately 3 p.m. PDT based on identifying the ammonia leak in Unit 3’s water purification system. The alert was required because fumes could prevent access to certain areas of the plant. The control room remained staffed and fully operational, and both Units have been operating safely.

No injuries were reported at the plant. As a precaution, the company evacuated employees in the area near where the leak was found. Other employees remain in other areas of the plant.

An alert is the second lowest of four federal classifications for emergencies at commercial nuclear power plants. An alert is characterized by events that are in process or have occurred that involve an actual or potential impact on the level of safety of the plant.

SCE and offsite agencies are closing the San Onofre Joint Information Center in Irvine. News media can contact SCE’s 24-hour media number for further information.

Background Information

• Nuclear plant emergency classifications are established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
• The San Onofre plant, located just south of San Clemente, Calif., consists of two pressurized water reactors, Units 2 and 3, similar in design to 69 of the 104 operating U.S. reactors.
• San Onofre is jointly owned by SCE (78.21%), San Diego Gas & Electric (20%), and the City of Riverside (1.79%).

About Southern California Edison

An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.

Ammonia Leak Contained at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Posted November 1, 2011 - Updated 5:59 p.m. PDT

ROSEMEAD, Calif., November 1, 2011 —Southern California Edison (SCE) has contained an ammonia leak at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which resulted in an alert being declared today.

The leak was in the non-nuclear section of the plant. No radioactive material was released and there was no immediate danger to the public.

The approximately 30 gallons of leaked ammonia is being collected in a basin underneath the tank that was designed for that purpose. The alert remains in effect.

At approximately 3 p.m. PDT, SCE declared the alert based on identifying the ammonia leak in Unit 3’s water purification system.

No injuries were reported at the plant. As a precaution, the company evacuated employees in the area near where the leak was found. Other employees remain in other areas of the plant.

The alert was required because fumes could prevent access to certain areas of the plant. The control room is staffed and fully operational, and both Units are operating safely.

An alert is the second lowest of four federal classifications for emergencies at commercial nuclear power plants. An alert is characterized by events that are in process or have occurred that involve an actual or potential impact on the level of safety of the plant.

SCE and offsite agencies have opened the San Onofre Joint Information Center, located at 14155 Bake Parkway, between Toledo Way and Trabuco Road in Irvine. More details will be released as they become available. News media are encouraged to go to the Joint Information Center for the most up to date information regarding events at the plant.

In accordance with pre-existing emergency plans, appropriate federal, state and local emergency organizations, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, have been notified.

Background Information

• Nuclear plant emergency classifications are established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
• The San Onofre plant, located just south of San Clemente, Calif., consists of two pressurized water reactors, Units 2 and 3, similar in design to 69 of the 104 operating U.S. reactors.
• San Onofre is jointly owned by SCE (78.21%), San Diego Gas & Electric (20%), and the City of Riverside (1.79%).

About Southern California Edison

An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.

Southern California Edison Declares an Alert at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Posted November 1, 2011

ROSEMEAD, Calif., November 1, 2011 —Southern California Edison (SCE) has declared an alert at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station as a result of an ammonia leak at the plant. The leak is in the non-nuclear section of the plant.

At approximately 3 p.m. PDT, SCE declared the alert based on identifying an ammonia leak in Unit 3’s make-up water treatment system.

As a precaution, the company evacuated employees in the area near where the leak was found. Other employees remain in other areas of the plant.

There is no immediate danger to the public. Both units are operating normally.

The alert is required because fumes could prevent access to certain areas of the plant. The control room is staffed and fully operational, and both Units are at full power.

An alert is the second lowest of four federal classifications for emergencies at commercial nuclear power plants. An alert is characterized by events that are in process or have occurred that involve an actual or potential impact on the level of safety of the plant.

SCE and offsite agencies have opened the San Onofre Joint Information Center, located at 14155 Bake Parkway, between Toledo Way and Trabuco Road in Irvine. More details will be released as they become available. News media are encouraged to go to the Joint Information Center for the most up to date information regarding events at the plant.

In accordance with pre-existing emergency plans, appropriate federal, state and local emergency organizations, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, are being notified.

Background Information

• Nuclear plant emergency classifications are established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
• The San Onofre plant, located just south of San Clemente, Calif., consists of two pressurized water reactors, Units 2 and 3, similar in design to 69 of the 104 operating U.S. reactors.
• San Onofre is jointly owned by SCE (78.21%), San Diego Gas & Electric (20%), and the City of Riverside (1.79%).

About Southern California Edison

An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.

San Onofre And Participating Agencies Conduct Drill

Posted October 27, 2011

On Wednesday, Oct. 26, emergency response professionals from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and local public safety organizations participated in an emergency drill.

The objective was to practice measures that would be employed to protect public health and safety in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency. This was the fifth time this year that San Onofre and local agencies participated—in April, in excess of 600 local state and federal personnel participated in a drill that was graded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Participants included the Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross, the California Highway Patrol, California State Parks, the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, the Orange County Health Care Agency, the Orange County Sheriff's Dept., the cities of San Clemente and Dana Point, San Diego County and California Energy Management Agency (Cal EMA).

The drill included mock press conferences, which gave public information officers from the participating agencies a chance to demonstrate how they would instruct the public in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency.

Every year, San Onofre, and participating agencies, including the cities surrounding the San Onofre plant, participate in multiple drills.

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Response to the Great California ShakeOut

Posted October 20, 2011

More than 10,000 Southern California Edison (SCE) employees and executives at 100 utility facilities including the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station joined the estimated 8.6 million Californians participating in today's Great California ShakeOut emergency drill. In addition to participating in these types of exercises, the utility conducts its own emergency drills in conjunction with local emergency response agencies to ensure SCE's readiness to protect public health and safety and restoring Southern California's electrical infrastructure in the event of a major earthquake.

San Onofre Plant Earthquake Readiness
All critical safety structures at the San Onofre plant are designed to withstand ground motion greater than that which would be created by the maximum credible earthquake forecast for the region. The plant has robust, redundant safety systems designed to create and maintain a safe shutdown condition in the event of a major quake.

Hundreds of San Onofre nuclear plant professionals train regularly on the safe shutdown of the plant and the timely communication to nearby communities during an emergency. For example, emergency preparedness professionals from the plant and 13 community and county jurisdictions will drill together for the fifth time this year on Oct. 26, practicing how they would respond to a worst-case plant scenario.

The major earthquake simulated during today's Great California ShakeOut—a 7.8 magnitude quake on the San Andreas fault—would likely have produced ground motion at the San Onofre plant site of approximately 0.13g* – less than one fifth of the level of motion the safety-related equipment is designed to withstand. The equipment used to maintain the plant in a safe condition would not be damaged by such an event.

* “g” equals the force of gravity.

Community Alert Siren System Siren Test Successful

Posted October 19, 2011

Today’s annual test of the Community Alert Siren System surrounding the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) was a success. Southern California Edison reports that all 50 sirens located in the communities around SONGS functioned as designed when tested in three different modes Wednesday morning in the cities of Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as Orange County, the California Department of Parks and Recreation and Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton.

The initial test involved all of the San Onofre plant's emergency planning partners activating the sirens using a computer system.

During the second test, the sirens located in communities surrounding the plant were activated by the computer system at a central command center, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Management Bureau.

The third test bypassed the computer system and simulated a manual siren system activation.

This was only a test. There was no emergency at the plant.

Southern California Edison reminds residents living near its nuclear plant that the sound of the sirens during a real emergency would mean the public should turn on a radio or TV news source to receive emergency information from their community. Emergency planning professionals in the counties and communities surrounding the San Onofre plant could use the sirens to alert residents to a variety of potential emergencies within their jurisdictions, including earthquakes, tsunamis, chemical spills and nuclear.

Southern California Edison Takes Last Step in Historic Plant Environmental Project

Posted October 6, 2011

On a cool, windy afternoon, a giant earthmoving excavator removed a scoop of sand making possible the first full flow of the Pacific Ocean into the San Dieguito Wetlands near Del Mar, Calif. in decades.

On Thursday, Sept. 29, one of the finishing touches was put on a 15-year Southern California Edison environmental restoration project—creating a new inlet that will bring hundreds of millions of gallons of additional ocean water, along with fish, plankton and nutrients, into a newly created fish and wildlife habitat to constantly reinvigorate it. The 150-acre preserve is one of three environmental projects Southern California Edison has undertaken to offset any adverse impact on ocean ecosystems caused by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s ocean water cooling system.

Approximately 150 members of the public, media and project teams were on hand to watch the excavation of the inlet, a major milestone in the San Dieguito Wetlands Restoration Project.

"This milestone was years in the making," said David Kay, SCE’s manager of environmental projects. "All of the hard work that the team put in for the past 15 years has finally paid off. It’s wonderful to watch the ocean flow freely into the wetlands area once again."

Twelve million baby fish already make their home in the San Dieguito Lagoon, bird species have tripled since 2006, and several nesting sites already exist for the endangered California least tern.

For more information on the San Dieguito Wetlands Restoration Project, click here.

Second Steam Generator Arrives in Utah

Posted October 5, 2011

On Wed., Oct. 5, another steam generator lower assembly arrived in Utah. This is the second of four retired steam generators that Southern California Edison is shipping to a licensed disposal facility in Clive, Utah following their 25-year service as components of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

This shipment left on Sept. 18. The approximately 820 mile trip took 18 days to complete, one day less than the first assembly due to lessons learned. The first retired steam generator lower assembly reached EnergySolutions in Clive, Utah on August 18.

The transport crew was able to reduce the trip time based on experience gained operating the 400-foot-long vehicle during the first trip. The vehicle passed safely through San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as Nevada and part of Utah, on schedule and without incident.

The lower assembly is classified as low-level radioactive waste. The amount of radiation exposure that one could receive standing five to ten feet away from the steam generator for an hour would be less than the exposure received during an overseas airplane flight.

The steam generators are being transported on a unique trailer that was built specifically for this project. The trailer has 192 wheels to ensure that the combined weight of the transporter and steam generator lower assembly – roughly 1,440,000 pounds – has no more impact on highways than an average truck.

For more information about the lower assembly of the steam generator, click here.

San Onofre Plant Management Presents to City Council, Public

Posted October 3, 2011

Approximately 250 community members attended a special San Clemente City Council meeting on Tues. Sept. 27 at the San Clemente Community Center designed to provide city leaders with nuclear power safety lessons learned from the tragic earthquake and tsunami that struck Fukushima, Japan in March.

Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Pete Dietrich presented for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), along with Director of Nuclear Regulatory Affairs Rich St. Onge and Director of Special Projects Caroline McAndrews.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as well as the Interjurisdictional Planning Committee (IPC) also provided city council members with input.

A senior NRC official explained steps it has taken since the Fukushima incident to ensure the continuing safety of U.S. plants.

At the beginning of the SONGS presentation, Dietrich talked about the personal connection plant workers feel to the community and its safety—"we value our membership in this community, we work here, we live here, our children go to school here, and we volunteer here." Dietrich indicated that more than 400 current and past SONGS employees are residents of San Clemente.

Among the topics that Dietrich covered were the differences between the designs of the San Onofre and the Fukushima plant as well as the dissimilar types of seismic and tsunami risks in Japan and Southern California.

He also presented an overview of the plant, including the seismically qualified structures that house plant safety systems, the tsunami wall that is higher than the highest credible wave threat for the San Clemente area, the multiple emergency back-up power systems and the dedicated water supply for auxiliary fuel cooling.

"We have a robust plant design, strong training, procedures and emergency plans," Dietrich said. "We are not saying it can't happen here, but are preparing for all credible threats."

Second Steam Generator Starts Long Haul to Utah

Posted September 19, 2011

On September 18 another steam generator lower assembly left the plant on its way to Utah. This is the second of four retired steam generators that Southern California Edison is disposing of in Clive, Utah before the end of the year.

The first retired steam generator lower assembly got on the road on July 31 and arrived at EnergySolutions in Clive, Utah on August 18. The approximately 820 mile trip took three weeks to complete.

The lower assembly is classified as low-level radioactive waste. The amount of radiation exposure that one could receive standing five to ten feet away from the steam generator for an hour would be less than the exposure received during an overseas airplane flight.

The steam generators are being transported on a unique trailer that was built specifically for this project. The trailer has 192 wheels and the combined weight of the transporter and steam generator lower assembly will be roughly 1,440,000 pounds, while the combined length of the vehicle and steam generator lower assembly is around 400 feet.

Learn more about the lower assembly of the steam generator.

California Groups to Conduct Emergency Plan Exercise
Exercise to include the activation of sirens located at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Posted April 9, 2011

Emergency response personnel from Southern California Edison (SCE) and other community, county, state and federal groups will conduct an exercise April 12, testing their response plans in the event of an emergency at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Every two years, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and its off-site partners are required to participate in a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) evaluated exercise to successfully demonstrate implementation of both on-site and off-site emergency plans.

Planning for the exercise has been underway for several months and is part of an ongoing program of emergency preparedness. The exercise will include activation of sirens on the property of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. The plant sirens will be activated several times from 8 a.m. through noon. Residents should be aware that the sirens activated are not intended to signal any emergency, but are being used as part of the plant’s response during the exercise next Tuesday, April 12.

The larger San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station community alert siren system will not be activated during the exercise.

Governor Brown and Director of Public Health Issue Statements on Radiation Safety

Posted March 18, 2011

Read the official press release from the Office of Governor Jerry Brown.

County of Orange Press Release: Japan Nuclear Crisis - Orange County Health Impacts

Posted March 17, 2011

Read an official press release from the County of Orange.

SCE Supporting U.S. Nuclear Power Industry Response to Japanese Emergency

Posted March 15, 2011

The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station continues to operate normally and safely. SONGS was designed to withstand the maximum credible ground motion and tsunami threat in our part of Southern California. A re-evaluation of the plant's design submitted to state regulators just last month demonstrated that SONGS has appropriate engineering features, processes and procedures to protect the public. The Nuclear Energy Institute has information about nuclear safety and nuclear energy in general.

Southern California Edison President Ron Litzinger and Chief Nuclear Officer Pete Dietrich continue to participate in daily discussions with senior U.S. nuclear power officials, assessing events in Japan and beginning what will be a thorough process of assessing emergency causes and responses. That is the culture of the U.S. nuclear power industry – to carefully examine all performance issues, share lessons learned so that improvements at one site benefit everyone, and never to rest on past safety achievements but rather to continuously challenge all operators to do even better. The Nuclear Energy Institute has information about nuclear safety and nuclear energy in general. To learn more, please visit www.nei.org.

Southern California Edison responds to latest regulatory assessment of the plant

Posted March 9, 2011

As a routine part of its oversight and public reporting on U.S. nuclear power plants, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issues an annual assessment letter describing plant performance during the previous year. The NRC's assessment of the 2010 performance of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station was issued March 4, 2011. Southern California Edison (SCE) Chief Nuclear Officer Pete Dietrich offered the following comment on the report.

"The NRC's most recent assessment of our plant provides reasons for encouragement as well as evidence that we still have work to do before we achieve the industry's very high performance standards. One of our continuing challenges is a category known as "human performance," the industry requirement that each plant worker does every task by the book every time. We have established an employee team specifically to address this aspect of our work.

"The new NRC evaluation determined that during 2010 '…SONGS Units 2 and 3 operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety….' And the men and women of our plant deserve credit for the safe and successful completion Feb. 18, 2011, of the most challenging construction project in the plant's history – replacing the original steam generators. Nevertheless, our focus is on the unfinished business of creating one of the highest performing plants in the nuclear power industry."

Southern California Edison Successfully Completes Largest San Onofre Plant Construction Project Since Early '80s

Posted February 18, 2011

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Unit 3 was reconnected to the Southern California power grid Friday, February 18 at 2:56 a.m. (Pacific). The milestone signals the safe, successful completion of a massive 10-year construction project – replacing the plant's largest components, its steam generators.

"This is a moment of pride for the men and women who maintain and operate the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station," said SCE Chief Nuclear Officer Pete Dietrich. "They have completed a project that spans the past decade and ensures that the plant's contribution to Southern California will continue for another decade or more."

SCE decided to replace the San Onofre plant's steam generators when a cost-benefit assessment revealed the overhaul could save customers some $1 billion during the plant's current license period, which runs through 2022.

Each of the four new steam generators – two per reactor – is 65 feet tall, 22 feet in diameter and weighs 640 tons. The components produce steam that drives the plant's huge turbines, generating enough total electricity to serve 1.4 million average homes.

"Our highest priority during this project was to protect the health and safety of the public," said Project Manager Mike Wharton. "Plant personnel and contractors achieved this goal by producing high quality work that resulted in no challenges to public safety."