CEP Regular Meeting: SONGS Emergency Preparedness and Offsite Agency Support

Jun 12, 2025
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Key Takeaways

Emergency response professionals from SCE, Orange County Emergency Management, and the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services provided an overview of emergency preparedness for SONGS. There are no credible accident scenarios that can result in an offsite release of radiological material now that all spent nuclear fuel is in passive dry storage. Still, a robust emergency plan remains in place with support from local and state agencies.

SCE staff provided an update on seismic safety after the recent earthquake in Julian, CA. The earthquake released energy – ground acceleration – some 100 times less than the design basis for the onsite dry cask storage facility which was inspected with no damage was found.

An SCE engineer discussed the technology used to identify and measure the depth of scratches on spent fuel canisters in the Holtec storage system as part of an aging management program. A high-resolution camera can accurately measure surface indications as minute as 1/1000th inch deep. Images were shared from inspections of a canister that earlier was conservatively measured to have the deepest scratch on a SONGS canister, now known to be 11/1000ths inch deep. American Society of Mechanical Engineers Section III calls for mitigation of scratches of 62/100ths inch or more deep. Plus, SCE added 125/1000ths of an inch of margin by requiring thicker canister shells. No canister at SONGS has scratches deep enough to require mitigation. Canister inspections will take place again in 2027 and 2029.

The CEP received an update on tritium in groundwater beneath Unit 2. When discovered last year, tritium was below levels allowable for drinking water although water beneath the site is not a source of drinking water. Tritium concentrations are trending toward non-detectable.
The CEP viewed a video from a recent hearing of the House Appropriations Committee. An exchange among Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA), and Rep. Chuck Fleishmann (R-TN) displayed bipartisan interest in assuring adequate funding for the US Department of Energy to advance the federal spent fuel management program.

There was a brief discussion about the selection of Trestles Beach for the LA28 Olympic Games surfing competition. A world-renowned surf break and no stranger to international surf competition, Trestles is located within the San Onofre State Park, adjacent to the SONGS site.
The current phase of decommissioning is on track for completion by the end of 2028.

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SONGS CEP Regular Meeting

Date: June 12, 2025

Time 5:30 – 7:30 pm (PT)

Location: via Microsoft Teams (link provided below)

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How to Submit a Question/Comment

Early submittal of questions/comments before a CEP meeting increases the likelihood of a response during the hour long facilitated public dialogue portion of the meeting.

  • Questions and comments may be submitted via email to: nuccomm@songs.sce.com.
  • Questions and comments submitted in advance of the meeting and related to agenda topics will be—to the greatest extent possible—addressed in the presentation and/or discussed during facilitated public dialogue or, if necessary, responded to via email following the meeting.
  • Questions and comments received via NUCCOMM and related to agenda topics will be addressed first; questions on broader topics received during the public comment period will be addressed subsequently.

To submit questions/comments during a CEP meeting, use the CEP Comment Form link (if attending virtually) or use the hardcopy CEP Question/Comment Cards (if attending in-person) available at the registration table near the facility entrance.

  • Questions and comments will be added to the queue in order of receipt.
  • Questions and comments related to the meeting agenda topics will be —to the greatest extent possible—addressed during facilitated public dialogue or, if necessary, responded to via email following the meeting.
  • Victor Cabral and Martha McNicholas will facilitate the public dialogue portion of the meeting.

How to Sign Up to Speak

To sign up to speak:

  • Complete the CEP Comment Form (if attending virtually)
  • Complete the CEP Question/Comment card (including name) available at the registration table at the entrance of venue
  • The Chairman will call on individuals by name one at a time to speak
    • the Microsoft Teams microphone will be opened for each individual (if attending virtually)
    • each individual may speak at the microphone provided on the lectern at the facility
    • people in the room will speak first followed by those attending online

Each speaker will have three minutes to ask a question or deliver a comment.

Meeting Materials: