San Onofre Nuclear Plant to Cut 730 Jobs

Southern California Edison announced Monday that it would pull the plug on about 730 jobs at the San Onofre nuclear power plant.

The reduction will bring the plant’s staffing level to about 1,500, according to Edison, which said San Onofre’s staff and operating costs were higher than similar plants.

The move to cut costs, which Edison said began two years ago, comes on the heels of other woes at the plant.

San Onofre’s two active reactors were both shut down in January: one for planned repairs and the other after a faulty piece of equipment leaked a small amount of radioactive steam. The leak led to the discovery that many more tubes were wearing out more quickly than expected.

There are no official scheduled re-start dates for the plant.

In announcing its planned staffing reduction, Edison noted that plant’s troubles “require that SCE be prudent with its future spending while SCE and regulators review the long-term viability of the nuclear plant. The reality is that the Unit 3 reactor will not be operating for some time.

“Deliberate steps will be taken over the next year to ensure SONGS is prepared to operate safely and in alignment with SCE’s future operating budgets,” according to the company.

Edison is expected to make decisions about the plant’s organizational structure by late October.

—City News Service