Decommissioning
San Onofre Nuclear Generating station Decommission Questions and answers
- What is Decommissioning?
- When was SONGS Unit 1 decommissioned?
- What is the site of Unit 1 used for now?
- How much did it cost to decommission Unit 1? How was the work paid for?
- Is decommissioning a safe process?
- How many U.S. nuclear plants have been decommissioned?
- How much electricity did SONGS Unit 1 generate during its years of service?
A. Decommissioning consists of decontamination, dismantling, shipment and final disposition of nuclear power plant components, and site rehabilitation. Disposition of plant components can take place either by re-use or depositing them into licensed, low-level radioactive waste repositories at any of several locations in the country.
Decommissioning is a condition of the plant's operating license from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
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A.The first generating unit constructed on the plant property, Unit 1, began operating in 1968 and was retired in 1992 at the end of its service. Decommissioning began in 1999 and the majority of the plant's structures and facilities were decontaminated, dismantled and removed from the site by 2008.
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Q. What is the site of Unit 1 used for now?
A.The space provides an additional staging and work area for plant construction projects such as the recent replacement of San Onofre’s steam generators.
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Q. How much did it cost to decommission Unit 1? How was the work paid for?
A. The cost was approximately $460 million. The funds came from a trust fund financed through rates that was established when the plant began operating.
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Q. Is decommissioning a safe process?
A. Yes. The decommissioning process is thorough and systematic, and planned in great detail with safety as the highest priority.
All aspects of the decommissioning process are carefully monitored and overseen by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.
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Q. How many U.S. nuclear plants have been decommissioned?
A. In addition to SONGS Unit 1, four utility-size nuclear power plants have undergone complete decommissioning, including Shippingport, Pennsylvania (72 MW), completed 1989; Pathfinder, South Dakota (66MW), completed in 1992; Shoreham, New York (849 MW), completed in 1994; and Fort St. Vrain, Colorado (330 MW); completed in 1996.
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Q. How much electrcity did SONGS Unit 1 generate during its years of service?
A. The unit produced about 53 billion kilowatt-hours. Its generating capacity was 450 megawatts or enough to power 292,000 homes at a point in time. By comparison, SONGS 2 and 3 generate 1,100 megawatts each.
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