SCE to Retire California San Onofre Reactors

Reuters ^ | June 7, 2013 | Reuters Staff

[kidd]

Southern California Edison, a unit of California power company Edison International, decided to permanently retire the San Onofre nuclear power plant, forcing California to find other electric sources to help keep the lights on in the future.

[kidd]

Unit 2 closed due to a technicality (the license says that the plant must be able to operate at 100% power, but the plant wanted to run at 70% power on a shortened cycle to demonstrate that no new problems would occur). Unit 3 closed due to steam generators that required difficult repairs, or replacement, and the manufacturer (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) did not provide a warranty for replacement power.

[txrefugee]

With plentiful natural gas available in any state that is smart enough to permit fracking, nuclear power plants are obsolete.

[kidd]

The fearmongered version of this information can be found at:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-06-07/calif-dot-utility-says-it-will-retire-nuclear-plant

There was never a safety concern. This is a replacement power cost / uncertainty issue.

[SoCal Pubbie]

I'm shocked to hear this. Do I need the sarcasm tag?

[kidd]

In the short term, you are correct.

In the long term, as the United States becomes an exporter of natural gas, and the subsequent increase in price, nuclear power would once again look favorable.

[rktman]

So, I’m guessin’ coal ain’t on the list. It sent a jolt down my spine. (what there is left of it) Kind of amp’d up to see what jewel they come up with.

[edcoil]

They have been beaten up like crazy from our Senator Boxer and somethings are just not worth it. It should have been running months ago. The anti-nuc crowd is huge here.

[hal ogen]

California goes further into the stone age. Maybe all the illegals will have some new ideas.

[G Larry]

neighbor states should tell CA to screw off.

Restrictions to produce power in CA have forced them to rely on power generated out of state.

To hell with CA!

[Mastador1]

No just the same old ideas, grunt, scream, riot and kill.

[OldNavyVet]

Earth is now in a Nuclear Age, and I’d say that humans will soon come up with more reliable nuclear plants.

[edpc]

If the structures are ever torn down, will it be considered an industrial mastectomy?

[onedoug]

If, by some dream, we can get can rid of the islamism currently at the root of our government, we’ll be able to exploit the fuller potential of our own natural resources again. Though right now that seems as hard to reach as Mars.

[Flycatcher]

The first concern of every good Californian should be on the welfare of the Spotted Owl. So the closing of this plant is a good thing. If ALL forms of modern energy collection could be removed from the state, then the path to paradise is assured.

And in case you're wondering what the SECOND concern of every good Californian should be, the answer is obvious:

MORE TAXPAYER-FUNDED HIGH-SPEED RAIL!!!!!!

[TheDon]

Bad news. Going to be an interesting summer.

[EricT.]

Good luck with those power bills.

[edcoil]

We are changing the state flag to reflect the great achievements of Don Quixote.

Apparently he and Jerry Brown bear a striking resemblance.

[EricT.]

[Leaning Right]

Kind of amp’d up to see what jewel they come up with.

They will use birdbaths to harvest the energy in moonbeams. Of course, this will take billions of taxpayer dollars to get things started.

[Carry_Okie]

Former SCE chair, founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and former Commerce Secretary John Bryson set this process in motion. The goal of energy racketeering in California is to make money in carbon offsets.