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Subscribe to RSSA reactor at the San Onofre nuclear reactor in Southern California was being shut down after a possible leak was detected in one of the unit's steam generator tubes, the plant operator said Tuesday.
Southern California Edison said in a statement that "a precautionary shutdown of Unit 3" at the electricity generating plant was under way, but that there had been no release of radiation to the atmosphere and there was no danger to employees or the public.
The San Onofre plant is on the Pacific Ocean coast near San Clemente north of San Diego. It consists of two units, No. 2 and No. 3. No. 1 was shut down permanently in 1992. It is one of two nuclear plants that generate electricity in Southern California; the other is the Diablo Canyon plant in San Luis Obispo County.
Unit No. 2 at San Onofre was already offline for maintenance and refueling, but Southern California Edison said the shutdown of No. 3 would not affect the supply of electricity to customers.
In September, the failure of a major tranmission line between Arizona and California caused the Onofre reactors to go offline automatically.
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Mythbusters weren't trying out a new stunt in the area were they? Anyone find a bowling ball in the plant?
It was Illinois a few days ago having issues, now a California nuclear plant?
I don't think we are ready for a melt down!!!!!!
Diablo Canyon plant is a ticking time bomb!!! It sets on a fault line, just waiting for an earth quake!!!!!!
Nuclear power is too risky!!!
America can not afford a melt down like Japan!!!!!!!!
Loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) (e.g. Three Mile Island)
Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) (e.g. Chernobyl or SL-1)
America can not afford NOT to have nuclear energy given the current attempts by those currently in power to limit and hamper natural gas and coal production. What? You think we are going to replace nuclear power with wind/solar power? You're too funny ... LMAO
I have heard that if we turn 1/4 of Texas in to a Solar Farm we could power the USA, that was a while ago I read it, we might need 1/2 of Texas now.
Germany has more installed solar energy capacity than all six reactors at Fukushima.
Yes. Replace it with wind and solar. When they're serious about it, it'll work.
Germany has ceased all it's Nuclear plants and now buys electricity from the European Grid. ..smart
AJ form Oh
Just shows how much you know. I worked at Diablo Canyon. I live 15 miles from Diablo Canyon(DOWN WIND). That place ain't going anywhere unless we have a 7.5 or better Earthquake on the Hosgri Fault. That is the closest Fault line to the plant. The Hosgri hasn't had an Earthquake since the 1927 Lompoc earthquake that measured 7.3 and was close to 40 miles away. The Plant was designed to withstand a 7.5 at the closest point to the Hosgri! Which is just 5 or 6 miles away. I have NO PROBLEM WITH THE PLANT OR EARTHQUAKES.
I just remembered. We had a 6.5 earthquake in 2003 about 40 miles away in Paso Robles. It is called the San Simeon Quake. The Plant barely moved. NO PROBLEMS!
I helped build and inspect the 2 replacement heads for the Diablo Canyon Reactors 1 and 2. You're right, diablo canyon isn't going anywhere, the place is built like a cube surrounded by shock absorbers. It is very safe and the quality that we put into the heads will last for the rest of the reactors life. People are quick to cause a scare about nuclear power but it is far more green than a coal or gas plant and far cheaper in the long run when you compare coal, gas, and nuclear.
As for the Steam Generator tube, They are tested with eddy current and if they are not up to standard then they are plugged and welded shut at the inlet and outlet end of the tube. There are hundreds of these tubes in each Steam Generator and they are part of the primary loop that returns to the reactor so they are treated with the most critical forms of inspections. This is common practice to maintain the strength and integrity of the pressure boundary (reactor side) and is done on brand new steam generators as well. Issues that cause a tube to be plugged shut can be something as small as a scratch, dent , a tiny area of weld that is not fused together correctly, or a tube that was bent a little.
The outside of the tubes are sprayed with cool water which turns to steam when it pulls the heat through the wall of the tube. This side of the generator is closed to the reactor water and is called the secondary side, this side is not radioactive and the steam from this side drives a turbine generator to produce electricity.
Coal powered plants have steam generators too but we get to eat and breathe the mercury and other pollutants from coal on a daily basis. Nuclear Power has come a long way since 3 mile Island and Chernobyl, for instance the fuel used to power reactors now will disapate heat so fast that even if every safety device failed, the reactor would not melt down. Fukushima was a set of much older reactors and should not have been built at that location. Remember that a nuclear reactor is just a big steam engine.
AJ from Oh!
I am glad you know it all!
When electric line started crossing the country, the same stories were told. People near them would get sick. Cows that walked under them would stop giving milk. The lines would come down and electrocute everyone. LOL
Yea... let us lose a few cities and thousands dead or irradiated before we complain. After all nuclear power is safe, just ask the Japanese about theirs or Russians about Chernobyl.
Wow, it is not a scheduled maintenance.
I think its odd that yesterday something similar happened in Illinois? Just a coincidence perhaps, still odd ?
Here we go again. The public relations experts step up to reassure the public that all is well. Meanwhile, I get this message from a whistle-blower, " So much for installing brand new steam generators for 800 million. SCE is really down playing the seriousness of this."
Someday we will hear the sirens go off, and it won't be another false alarm. In fact, I sit here wondering if this may actually develop into the dreaded nuclear nightmare. Is this our Fukushima? If not, it is only a matter of time.
We must understand that the protective measures that were once in place no longer exist. It is up to you and me, the people standing in harms way, to demand a shutdown of these unnecessary reactors that threaten the livelihood and well being of more than 8 million people, all for 7% of our energy.
Let's make them prove they are safe to operate and that they have addressed the lessons learned from Fukushima before we allow them to continue on the reckless path they are on. How many more warnings will we get? Do we really need a total meltdown in America in order to accept the reality that nuclear power is extremely dangerous? Are we the ones that are going to have to be sacrificed as the example that Americans can no longer ignore?
Unfortunately, I am beginning to believe that we won't take any serious steps to avoid a Fukushima-like event until it happens in our country. With all the warning signs, no one will be surprised when it does take place here. It is only a matter of time. San Onofre, with a safety record ten times worse than the industry norm, sitting next to a fault line exceeding the design basis for this nuclear power plant that is reaching its intended 40 year lifespan in 2013, is a very likely candidate for failure.
That is why we are planning an event to remember Fukushima on the upcoming anniversary. People need to remember the lessons that the Japanese are still enduring. The no-go zone in Japan is a 12.5 mile radius and it is estimated that it will take 40 years before it might be safe to return (if ever). Can you imagine that happening here? No use of the main freeway between LA and San Diego, a major military base rendered useless, thousands of homes and businesses that can't be insured against such a disaster, all the people left homeless and with very few possessions, for who knows how long. The financial disaster alone would be staggering, let alone the deaths and disease and environmental degradation that are more difficult to substantiate or quantify.
Just today, I participated in a webinar with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission who wanted some public feedback on the proposition that we store highly radioactive waste on site for another two or three hundred years. What are these people charged with the public's safety thinking about other than what is best for the industry?
Let's move away from this outdated dangerous technology and replace it with safe and sustainable options that will lead us to a brighter future. We can live without it as seen in this very moment when no power is coming from San Onofre. It won't be nearly as bad as they make it out to be.
Please join the people's movement to shut down our nuclear power plant before it is too late. Go to or send an email to gary@sanclementegreen.org to get involved, to do your part, because those that you think you can count on are not on your side. Stand with us. Go with the precautionary principle. There is too much at stake for too little in return. No Fukushimas here. We know better and so do you.
San Clemente Green perhaps we should buy electricity from China as well.
The regulators you refer to are in the precarious position of trying to both weigh environmental/human health risk with allowing the company to provide a service. Trust me, I know whats its like trying to balance the interests of two extremes when it comes to environmental policy. It really blows. If you and your friends want to find enough volunteers to make up the 7% energy difference on your own dime, go for it. And please don't ask for government assistance or tax breaks for doing so.
I think its odd that yesterday something similar happened in Illinois? Just a coincidence perhaps, still odd ?
No, I don't think it's really odd at all. It actually happens quite often around the States, from what I've read.
The link below usually does a pretty good job at catching all the latest nuclear mishaps/problems/updates in the States:
http://enenews.com/category/u-s-canada
What DOES seem to me to be unusual is that it's finally making news on MSNBC, like they've just now realized this.
Or, if you don't like/trust the Enenews source (some people don't), check out this from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2012/
A listing of events thus far this year.
I live downwind from San Onofre just over the mtns. I awoke to find a weird, circular cloud hanging over the mtns with a haze. I was like, fire?? Or weird rogue cloud? Thought nothing of it and went about my business. Later I turned the news on to hear word of this so called "minor leak." If it were so minor, why did I see such a cloud and haze, and the air smelled funny??? Hmmm... sucks to live so close to that reactor especially when I know we aren't given all the info and I HEARD no sirens. Saw the cloud. I don't care how minor, let us know to stay inside for a while. NOT GOOD. Almost took a picture of it because it was so ODD before I knew what it was. I am just saying, we aren't getting the full picture.
I think smart and safe nuclear plants can be engineered. If we are to switch to "green" energy all options that don't produce CO2 should be on the table.
You are correct, they can be and actually have been. AP1000, ABWR, EPR and others have safety factors many times greater than current reactors.
I sincerely hope that the people running these potentially dangerous nuclear facilities have some kind of fund set up that would address the environmental and human health ramifications of any type of spill, malfunction or other leakage. Our country deserves the best including corporate responsibility when using and handling disease causing agents near residential communities. What to do? Find out about Natural Zeolite for radiation protection or read more about the what radiation spill and why we may want to choose clean energy sources instead: http://thehealingfrequency.com/radiation-leak-from-san-onofre-nuclear-plant-in-california/