SAN CLEMENTE : San Onofre Plant to Restart Reactor
Today, for the first time since last June, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station will be operating at full capacity following a $25-million overhaul of its oldest generator.
Unit 1--at 456 megawatts the smallest of the three electricity generating units at the facility in northern San Diego County--was shut down last June 30 when cracks were found in the support blocks of its thermal shield, said Dave Barron, a Southern California Edison spokesman. The thermal shield sits between the nuclear reactor and its uranium fuel to protect the reactor from radiation on its carbon-steel wall, Barron said.
“We expect all three units to be on line Tuesday,” Barron said Monday. Unit 1 actually began operating Saturday but was shut down again Monday for testing of its plant turbine, a procedure that is considered routine before a return to full service, Barron said.
During the nine months Unit 1 was shut down, Southern California Edison made up for the lost power by redirecting power from other sources within the Edison system or by buying power from other utilities, Barron said.
The $25-million tab for the overhaul is not expected to affect customer rates, Barron said.
“The Public Utilities Commission does review all our expenses in connection with any of our plants, and they make the decisions regarding rates,” Barron said. “But this is a relatively small amount compared to other portions of our electrical systems. I don’t think there will be a significant rate impact.”
Unit 1 began generating nuclear-fueled energy in 1968, Barron said. Units 2 and 3, which produce about 1,100 megawatts each, Barron said, began operating in 1983. These two units are contained in the two 175-foot-high domes visible from Interstate 5.
Southern California Edison operates the facility and receives 80% of the electricity generated by Unit 1; San Diego Gas & Electric receives the remainder, Barron said. The electricity from Units 2 and 3 is shared with the cities of Anaheim and Riverside, which together receive 5% of the units’ combined capacity, Barron said.
