CPUC may investigate nuclear plant closure

July 24, 2012 | By Travis Mitchell

California regulators may move to investigate how the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station (SONGS) could affect state ratepayers, as well as whether the cost of repairing the plant's four generators is worthwhile.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is slated to vote August 2nd on what action to take related to the nuclear plant, which has been shut down since January 2011 due to concerns with steam generator tubes.

Ownership of the plant is split among Southern California Edison (78 percent), San Diego Gas & Electric (20 percent) and the City of Riverside (2 percent). A report released on June 19 by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) found that SCE acted appropriately in reaction to the plant problems.

This is not the first time the CPUC has considered allowing a rate increase to service the San Onofre operation. Between 2009 and 2010, the CPUC allowed SCE to raise rates in order to fund the $700 million required to purchase and replace the generators. The current CPUC order poses questions about how much more money would be required to repair SONGS reactors, as well as the impact of letting the plant remain out of service.

For more:
-see the CPUC order
-see this article