Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Calif. blackouts possible with nuke plant offline
chron.com ^ | Friday, June 8, 2012 | MICHAEL R. BLOOD,

Posted on 06/08/2012 7:27:27 AM PDT by BenLurkin

Southern California utility officials are warning that blackouts in the region are possible this summer as a result of the sidelined San Onofre nuclear power plant.

The damaged plant is likely to remain sidelined until at least the end of August while investigators probe excessive wear in tubing that carries radioactive water, the plant's operator said Thursday.

The officials say that if a heat wave hits while the twin-reactor plant is offline, rotating blackouts are a possibility. Utilities have been scrambling to find replacement power as a precaution, including restarting two retired natural gas-fired plants in Orange County.

Edison spokeswoman Jennifer Manfre said it's likely the plant between San Diego and Los Angeles will remain shuttered at least through August.

The trouble began to unfold in January, when the Unit 3 reactor was shut down as a precaution after a tube break. Traces of radiation escaped at the time, but officials said there was no danger to workers or neighbors. Unit 2 had been taken offline earlier that month for maintenance, but investigators later found unexpected wear on hundreds of tubes in both units.

Edison initially targeted a June restart for at least one of the twin reactors. A tentative plan called for restarting and running the seaside reactors at lower power, at least for several months, because engineers believe that will ease vibration that could be eroding tubes.

The NRC has said there is no timetable to restart the reactors, which were replaced in 2009 and 2010 in a $670 million overhaul.

About 7.4 million Californians live within 50 miles of San Onofre, which can power 1.4 million homes.

Safety issues at the plant have attracted congressional scrutiny, and some officials in nearby communities have been calling for San Onofre to shut down permanently.

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: California
KEYWORDS: blackouts; democrats; electricity; energy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-23 last
To: BenLurkin

Calif. blackouts possible,why not we already have Brown outs.
No jobs,no money,no chance.............


21 posted on 06/08/2012 10:07:28 AM PDT by Vaduz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Well, how convenient is THAT ... when they just finished installing their “smart” meters all over the place.


22 posted on 06/08/2012 10:57:24 AM PDT by Fast Moving Angel (A moral wrong is not a civil right: No religious sanction of an irreligious act.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoanneSD
Maybe Obama will come out and campaign during a brown out...

I'm looking forward to a brown out-- a brown clown out, of the Office of the President.

23 posted on 06/08/2012 11:48:08 AM PDT by Max in Utah (A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-23 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson