Southern California Edison is unsure how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the cost and schedule for decommissioning of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).
The utility has paused tackling the actual tearing down of buildings and removing heavy equipment from the retired nuclear power plant in San Diego County. However, Edison is continuing with preliminary operations, including the ongoing transfer of spent fuel from two reactors into dry storage.
As of Thursday, Edison had moved 58 of 73 canisters of used fuel rods to underground storage along the Pacific Ocean. That work, carried out by contractor Holtec International, is expected to be finished this summer. Other on-site preparations for decommissioning are underway, with the main decommissioning due to be completed by 2028.
On March 25, Edison announced it would pause some decommissioning work to study what could be continued under its protocols for dealing with a pandemic. It continued asbestos removal in the containment buildings for reactor Units 2 and 3, completed upgrading a rail spur, and has been studying the site’s contamination. However, a significant amount of other preparation work on the reactor containment domes is still being evaluated regarding effects of the coronavirus’ ripple effects.
The evaluation is part of Edison’s response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) March 19 executive order directing California residents to stay home unless they are needed to support the functioning of critical infrastructure. The order is intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Southern California Edison permanently retired SONGS Units 2 and 3 in 2013, more than two decades after Unit 1 was shuttered in 1992. Major decommissioning operations began in February on the two reactors, a $4.4 billion job managed by contractor SONGS Decommissioning Solutions.
