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Costs associated with the emergency shutdown of long-idled San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station have surpassed the $300 million mark.
Edison International, parent company of plant operator Southern California Edison, reported yesterday afternoon that inspection and repair costs at the facility have spiraled to $96 million, while the cost to consumers of replacement power totals $221 million, for a net cost of at least $317 million.
Meanwhile, even though Edison is pushing forward with a proposal to restart at least one of the troubled reactors and run it under partial power, the company indicated that the defective steam generators, installed in 2010 at a cost of at least $670 million, may never function properly again.
“It's not clear at this time if the units can be repaired, and it appears complete replacement of the steam generators would take some years,” said Edison chairman Ted Craver.
Nuclear watchdogs and critics are taking the statements as a sign that the plant could have already seen its final days of electricity generation.
“Every day Ted Craver delays getting brand new replacement steam generators installed signals that San Onofre is one day closer to permanent shutdown," says Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility director Rochelle Becker, calling the proposal to restart the plant’s Unit 2 generator “a bridge to nowhere.”
“What are these defective steam generators supposed to do, heal themselves?” asks Becker.
Costs associated with the emergency shutdown of long-idled San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station have surpassed the $300 million mark.
Edison International, parent company of plant operator Southern California Edison, reported yesterday afternoon that inspection and repair costs at the facility have spiraled to $96 million, while the cost to consumers of replacement power totals $221 million, for a net cost of at least $317 million.
Meanwhile, even though Edison is pushing forward with a proposal to restart at least one of the troubled reactors and run it under partial power, the company indicated that the defective steam generators, installed in 2010 at a cost of at least $670 million, may never function properly again.
“It's not clear at this time if the units can be repaired, and it appears complete replacement of the steam generators would take some years,” said Edison chairman Ted Craver.
Nuclear watchdogs and critics are taking the statements as a sign that the plant could have already seen its final days of electricity generation.
“Every day Ted Craver delays getting brand new replacement steam generators installed signals that San Onofre is one day closer to permanent shutdown," says Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility director Rochelle Becker, calling the proposal to restart the plant’s Unit 2 generator “a bridge to nowhere.”
“What are these defective steam generators supposed to do, heal themselves?” asks Becker.