SCE Submits SONGS Decommissioning Documents

Southern California Edison yesterday officially submitted its decommissioning documents for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for review. SCE had completed a draft Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR), cost estimate and used fuel management plan at the end of July, but it wanted community feedback before officially submitting the documents to the NRC. The decommissioning documents outline the estimated costs and planned timeline for the cleanup, with a price tag of approximately $4.4 billion and a start date for major decommissioning activities in 2016. “These important regulatory submittals will guide us as we decommission San Onofre in a safe and timely manner while continuing to serve as good environmental and financial stewards on behalf of our customers and the public," said Tom Palmisano, SCE vice president and chief nuclear officer. The NRC reviews the document, but their approval is not necessary for SCE to move forward in the decommissioning. The NRC also will hold a public meeting in the coming weeks on the documents.