Media Contact: Maureen Brown, (626) 302-2255

ROSEMEAD, Calif., Sept. 23, 2014 — Southern California Edison (SCE) today submitted the San Onofre nuclear plant decommissioning plan, cost estimate and used fuel management plan to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for review. 

Prior to submittal, SCE sought feedback on all three documents from the San Onofre Community Engagement Panel, an 18-member, diverse body of citizens advising San Onofre’s owners on decommissioning.  

“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 plan, called a Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR), includes the timetable for major decommissioning work expected to begin in early 2016 and indicates adequate funds are projected to exist to pay for the work. It is supported by a detailed analysis that estimates it will cost $4.4 billion to safely dismantle San Onofre, manage used fuel and restore the site. The PSDAR includes the Irradiated Fuel Management Plan to safely store San Onofre’s used fuel.

SCE has prepared supporting documentation called an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE), which concludes the potential environmental impacts of San Onofre decommissioning do not exceed those already identified in the NRC generic environmental impact statement. The EIE analysis and conclusions are summarized in the PSDAR.

The project cost includes physical dismantlement of San Onofre Units 2 and 3 within 20 years, managing and storing the used nuclear fuel until it is accepted by the U.S. Department of Energy and restoring the site for future use, subject to an easement agreement with the U.S. Navy, which owns the land.

The decommissioning trust funds established by San Onofre's owners currently total about $4.1 billion. Based on the updated cost estimate, anticipated cost escalation and future trust fund earnings, SCE believes the San Onofre decommissioning is fully funded and no further customer contributions will be required at this time. Any unused funds will be returned to customers at the end of decommissioning.

The NRC reviews but does not approve the decommissioning plan. The NRC will hold a public meeting regarding the plan in Southern California in the coming weeks.  SCE also provided the decommissioning plan and supporting documents to state officials.

SCE announced June 7, 2013 that it would retire San Onofre Units 2 and 3, and begin preparations to decommission the facility. SCE has established core principles of safety, stewardship and engagement to guide decommissioning. For more information about SCE, visit www.songscommunity.com.

About Southern California Edison

An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.