U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Federal Judges Rule San Onofre Can't Reopen Without Full Public Hearing

In yet another major setback for the scandal-plagued San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) has ruled that the power plant may not open without a full public review. In doing so, the panel of federal judges granted a petition filed by the enviro ... More >>

San Onofre Nuke Plant Could Permanently Close This Year

Southern California Edison (SCE), which operates the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), has apparently acknowledged for the first time that it may have no choice but to shutter the aging plant later this year. SCE is hoping that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will approve its ... More >>

L.A. City Council Joins Anti-San Onofre Nuke Plant Chorus

So far most of the noise being generated against the re-opening of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) has come from environmental watchdog groups. But now, the city of Los Angeles has joined the chorus of opposition. Yesterday, the city council passed a unanimous, 11 to 0 vote, callin ... More >>

[UPDATE: Hearing Scheduled, But Where?] SCE Scrambling For Ways to Turn On Troubled San Onofre Nuke Plant

*See end of post for an update.Original Post, March 22, 12:41 p.m.: For months, Southern California Edison has been trying to avoid having to go through a lengthy regulatory process that would force the company to prove that continued operation of the company's San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station ... More >>

San Onofre Nuke Officials Buried Evidence Of Problems, Report Says

Last week, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) released a report showing that both that company and Southern California Edison (SCE) knew that replacement steam generators built by Mitsubishi for SCE's San Onofre Nuclear Generating system had major design problems as far back as 2005. The report furth ... More >>

Ace Hoffman Is Tilting at 'Nofre

The anti-nuke activist has spent years fighting the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Now, the impossible is on his horizon: its permanent shutdown

Expert Testimony Explains Errors in San Onofre Nuke Plant Saga

It's been more than a year since the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) ceased providing power to Southern California residents. The aging plant had already retired one of its three reactors years ago, but lost the other two in December 2011 when officials discovered that thousands of tub ... More >>

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Closure Has Cost More Than $300 Million, Edison Investors Told

Southern California Edison overlord Edison International reports it has lost more than $300 million since its two reactors at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station went down last winter.So far.

[BREAKING:] State PUC to Investigate San Onofre Nuclear Plant Woes

The California Public Utilities Commission, meeting at Irvine City Hall this morning, voted unanimously to investigate problems at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The results of that probe may effect the five-member panel's decision on whether Southern California Edison ratepayers ... More >>

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Restart Proposed

Southern California Edison (SCE) announced today that it has submitted a proposal to federal regulators to restart one of two mothballed reactors at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The plan would have Unit 2 run at 70 percent power for five months, shut down again and re-inspected ... More >>

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Report Blames Computer-Model Errors for Woes

A final inspection report from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on the steam generator tube wear that has kept both reactors offline at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) since January blames computer model errors for the design flaws.

[UPDATED with Edison Objection to Weekly Report:] Design Flaws Confirmed at San Onofre Nuclear Plant

See update at end of post where Southern California Edison takes issue with the Weekly's original report earlier this morning.ORIGINAL POST, JUNE 19, 8:58 A.M.: Design flaws resulted in San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) generators being unable to handle too high a flow of radioactive wat ... More >>

It's Officially a Bummer Summer for San Onofre Nuclear Plant

Southern California Edison has officially confirmed what has been assumed for weeks: its San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station will not come back online this summer.The power giant is now looking at an August restart.

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Adds Shaky Sensor Problem to Other Recent Woes

Vibration from an earthquake shaking the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) could cause sensors to malfunction that would prevent back-up emergency power from kicking on, plant operators concede. The latest problem is unrelated to the steam-generator tube wear that has kept the facility s ... More >>

[UPDATED with "Industry Winning":] San Onofre Nuclear Plant Reopening Pushed Back as 1,300 More Damaged Tubes Found

UPDATE, MAY 21, 5:23 P.M.: The energy director of a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group calls Gregory Jaczko's resignation as chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) "a terrifying example of industries trying to wreak havoc on those who regulate them-and winning.""Jaczko sou ... More >>

[UPDATED with VIDEO:] That 70s Show: San Onofre No Nukes Rally Sunday

UPDATE, APRIL 30, 10:01 A.M.: About 100 people marched to the gate of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Sunday to demand the facility be shut down.They were led by Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, who said nuclear power is an unsafe option for communities surrounding such plants. Video from the ral ... More >>

[UPDATED with Irvine Call for Closure:] Tim Carpenter Back to "No Nukes" San Onofre with All His Old Progressive Pals

UPDATE, APRIL 25, 10:53 A.M.: As expected, the Irvine City Council Tuesday night called for the shutdown of the nuclear power plant 22 miles away, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).Among the more than 200 people who turned out for the agenda item was Arnie Gundersen, a former nuclear ... More >>

More Unusual Tube Wear Found at San Onofre Nuclear Plant

Southern California Edison, operator of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), announced more unusual wear has been discovered on steam-generator tubes in the Unit 2 reactor and that it's consistent with the degradation that has left Unit 3 closed since January. While such wear is typica ... More >>

Things are Tough All Over for San Onofre Nuclear Plant

​Perhaps you've heard the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ordered the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to remain shut down until plant operator Southern California Edison (SCE) can satisfy the feds that it knows why tubes wore out in two steam generators recently and that it ... More >>

San Clemente's Nuke Plant Radiation Mystery

​The visitors arrived just a day short of the one-year anniversary of the March 11, 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami that wiped out the country's Fukushima nuclear plant and nearly caused a countrywide nuclear emergency. They were a pair of residents of Miyagi Prefecture who had come to San Cl ... More >>

[UPDATED with Radiation Report OK'd:] Water Leak Shuts Down San Onofre Nuke Unit

​UPDATE, FEB. 23, 10:01 A.M.: The San Clemente City Council is to receive a staff report March 20 that should help city leaders decide whether more radiation monitoring should be done in the town 2 miles from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).Some residents have called for stepped- ... More >>

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Targeted in Ballot Proposal That Can Start Collecting Signatures

​Signatures can be collected for a state voter initiative that would effectively shut down San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.California's only other operating nuclear power plant in Diablo Canyon would also be mothballed should such a measure pass.Ben Davis Jr., the Santa Cruz activist who fo ... More >>

[UPDATED with No Action:] San Onofre Nuke Plant Shutdown Tempts San Clemente City Council

​UPDATE, JUNE 22, 4:36 P.M.: Travel back in time, kiddies, to one month and four days ago. The world was so much different then. Facing a full house of potential voters opposed to the continued operation of the nearby San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), the San Clemente City Council g ... More >>

[UPDATED with Federal Action Sought:] No Neighboring Nukes Tempt San Clemente City Council

​UPDATE, MAY 18, 11:31 A.M.: Facing a full house of potential voters opposed to the continued operation of the nearby San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), the San Clemente City Council decided Tuesday night to send letters to lawmakers seeking removal of radioactive waste from the plant. ... More >>

[UPDATED: TCA's Thoughts] Time for a Rematch? TCA Rekindles 241 Toll Road Talks, Citing Japan Devastation; Surfrider Foundation Responds

Surfrider FoundationThe swindle'n continues.​UPDATE, MAY 9, 4:20 P.M.: The basis for the most recent PR campaign--pushing the need for additional evacuation routes in the case of a emergency at SONGS or Camp Pendleton--was a concern expressed in a public poll from November 2010 (months before ... More >>

Just What We Needed--An Email Hoax Warning California Residents of 'Acid Rain'

Go ahead and sing in the rain. It's OK.​In case you weren't freaked out enough over last week's report of a radioactive plume heading this way (which officials say was innocuous), a prank email with the heading "Acid Rain Precautions" has been in circulation, warning California residents that part ... More >>

San Onofre Nuke Plant Needs Inspection Now, Say Senators Boxer and Feinstein

​One of the terrible ironies of the unfolding nuclear crisis in Japan is that two of the reactors that are overheating weren't even turned on when the earthquake and tsunami occurred. What sparked their meltdowns weren't the reactors, which were cool, but rather the toxic waste being stored next t ... More >>

Japan Radiation No Threat to California, Officials Say

​Maybe it's the fact that Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant has already suffered several explosions, is currently leaking radiation into the air, and seems to be headed toward total meltdown. Maybe it's the fact that a cold pressure system is sucking cold wind out of China and Korea and sendin ... More >>

Oh Really? OC Nuke Plant Safe, Say Nuke Plant Officials

​Now this is a big relief: Southern California Edison, which operates the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, or SONGS, says that their nuke plant--you know, those two pendulous white domes on the beach between San Clemente and Camp Pendleton--is totally safe. And by "totally safe," they mean i ... More >>

Nuke Plant, Feds, Drugs. Oh, No.

Jay Brockman​If you live or work within 10 miles of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), a.k.a. "the giant pair of boobs," the Feds would like to have a word with you about a little thing called radiation poisoning. EVERYONE PANIC!

No Nukes is Good Nukes ... For Now

​The Orange County Register's Teri Sforza has a fascinating post today that answers the question "Will California be frozen out of Obama's nuclear future?" this way: definitely yes in the short term, possibly no in the long term.

San Onofre's Nuclear Roller Coaster

​For those on both sides of the debate over whether to fire up the Unit 2 reactor at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), last week was a roller coaster.

Fire Up the Vanagon, They're Talking Nukes at San Onofre Again

Pretty!​The serious reconsideration of expanded nuclear power amid our uncertain energy future can mean only one thing: the resumption of serious protests against expanded nuclear power. With the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station (SONGS) so close, and a public workshop and hearing about the pl ... More >>

Keeping Abreast of the Latest From Our Nuclear Power Plant

Perhaps you thought the only news coming out of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) lately concerned fresh Nuclear Regulatory Commission complaints about operators being slow to address nagging plant problems (coming six months after an announcement that a battery on a backup generator ... More >>

Somebody Call Roto-Rooter!

San Onofre nuke plant ranks No. 3 for possibility of meltdown

Diary of a Mad County

Live Evil

Nathan Callahans abridged Orange County Map of Hell

Diary of a mad county

Orange County, California: 2001

Terror Town, USA

Green With Anger

Radiation Vibe

Letters

Bitter Pill

Anti-radiation pills may never be fashionable in California

Cancer Politics

Radiation is good for youjust ask a scientist!

Prescription for Disaster

If San Onofre is so safe, why are federal officials pushing anti-radiation pills on its neighbors?