Local Anti-Nuke Group Slams Restart Plan

The following is a press release from San Clemente Green --

San Clemente Green represents over 1,700 citizens who are deeply troubled by the fact that Edison has now submitted their response to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL). The clock is now ticking for the NRC to decide if Edison should be allowed to restart one of its seriously flawed reactors.

(Read about Edison's restart plan here)

One of the conditions under which Edison proposes to restart Unit 2 claims to have improved detection devices in order to catch any leaks that might occur more quickly.

That is of little comfort to those living nearby.

It is well documented that this equipment has been self-destructing over the past year or so due to excessive vibration. This caused a level of degradation that would only be expected after operating for twenty years or more.

Tubes that keep radiation from getting into our environment have been weakened, making them vulnerable to bursting and causing a cascading effect that may not be stoppable in time to protect the public.

Donna Gilmore from San Onofre Safety (SOS) says, “Edison’s plan to restart Unit 2 safely is to watch for radiation leaks.  That's not a safety plan.  That's a nuclear experiment in our community.  Restarting San Onofre with the the most defective steam generators in the nation is a recipe for nuclear disaster. We just went nine months without nuclear power and our electricity grid operator has plans to get us through next summer. Why take the risk for energy we don't need?”

What is also of great concern to the public is that the NRC and Edison are claiming that it is not necessary to go through a License Amendment hearing.

This thorough scientific investigation would include truly independent nuclear experts, not just steam generator manufacturers that Edison uses as consultants.

These outside experts would be allowed to review all data available, submit their own conclusions for consideration, and give them a chance to cross examine industry experts in a publicly transparent judicial hearing in which testimony is given under oath. Instead, the public is expected to blindly trust the decision making ability of those who created this situation in the first place.

Gary Headrick, co-founder of San Clemente Green said, “We are anxious to understand the motivation behind avoiding such an investigation by those who are charged with protecting the public’s safety, not the interests of the nuclear industry.

"Are they afraid of having to take some responsibility for whatever might be discovered in this investigation? The legality of the NRC‘s decision to skip this process when it should have been done when the new steam generators were first approved is still in question. But if the decision to restart one of these dangerous reactors is approved without benefit of the License Amendment investigation, that would be criminal, even immoral.”

This matter will be the central focus of the NRC meeting scheduled for Oct. 9, 5:30 p.m. at the St. Regis Hotel in Dana Point. The original intent was to have a roundtable discussion between the NRC, Edison and 4 individuals representing citizen’s concerned about public safety.

Instead, the NRC has recently decided to include 8 more nuclear industry advocates, creating a gross imbalance on the panel.

Headrick said, “The NRC has turned this event into a lopsided debate disguised as an attempt to be more open to public scrutiny. After a month of sincere negotiations with the NRC regarding the format of this meeting, they have once again demonstrated their loyalty to the nuclear industry. I am deeply disappointed, but I am all the more determined to use this opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the real dangers that exist at San Onofre.”