Regular Meeting on SONGS Decommissioning Update and Dry Cask Storage Defense-in-Depth
CEP Meeting Summary
- Southern California Edison recently moved all of its spent nuclear fuel safely to dry storage. Dry storage has distinct benefits over storage in spent fuel pools, including a higher seismic rating than the plant itself, as well as no need for electricity, pumps, or cooling water.
- With all the fuel in dry storage, the focus at SONGS shifts to dismantlement work. Much of that work initially will be in and around the containment domes, and likely not visible to the public. The CEP heard that SCE’s decommissioning contractor recently surpassed one million safe work hours.
- The liquid batch releases that SONGS is making are safe, and well-below regulatory limits. SCE’s radiation health specialist, Dr. Eric Goldin, explained that if a person drank the entire 20,000 gallons of a recent batch release, it would be 4,000 times below the EPA’s drinking water safety standard. Attempts to mischaracterize the releases as “unsafe” are not based in science.
CEP Meeting Video (Note: Due to technical difficulties associated with Skype the entire meeting was not captured.)
SONGS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PANEL VIRTUAL MEETING INSTRUCTIONS
The Aug. 20 Community Engagement Panel (CEP) meeting will be conducted via Skype video as Southern California Edison and CEP members work to reduce COVID-19 exposure through actions that align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on physical distancing. Members of the public will be able to listen and watch the meeting, as well as participate in an hour-long public comment period. Instructions for joining the meeting, submitting questions before and during the meeting, and signing up for public comment are below.
SKYPE MEETING INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPANTS
External participants may join the CEP meeting by using the Skype Web App. Click on the “Try Skype Web App” link below.
Trouble Joining? Try Skype Web App
(If still having trouble, see Skype instruction document at right)
Join by phone
+1 213-297-0156 (Dial-in Number) English (United States)
Conference ID: 285679908
Skype meetings MAY be recorded only if the presenter enables the recording feature AND initiates recording. If the meeting is being recorded, you will be warned and you may either consent to recording by staying on the call or hang up and contact the meeting organizer.
CEP PUBLIC WRITTEN QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
- Questions and Comments may be submitted in advance of the meeting using nuccomm@songs.sce.com
- During the meeting, members of the public may send their questions and comments electronically by completing the CEP Question Form here: https://on.sce.com/cep
Want to Speak during the CEP Public Comment Period?
To sign up for the public comment period, complete the CEP Question Form: https://on.sce.com/cep
- The form will be added to the que in order of receipt. The CEP Chairman will call on individuals to speak and the Skype microphone will be opened.
- The CEP Chairman will call out members of the public one at a time to allow those members of the public to comment for three minutes per person during the Skype meeting.
- The CEP Vice Chairman and Secretary will monitor the public comment period as well as topics submitted using the CEP Question Form and, following the hour-long public comment period, will facilitate public dialogue. Questions related to the meeting agenda topics may be submitted in advance of the meeting and—to the greatest extent possible—will be addressed in the presentation and/or discussed by CEP officers as part of the facilitated dialogue