Nuclear Power Future Unclear in California

The State Public Utilities Commission will decide the future of nuclear power in California as it considers permits for Diablo Canyon and San Onofre:

Southern California Edison, which operates San Onofre in northern San Diego County, plans to spend an estimated $680 million to replace four generators that serve two reactors. Pacific Gas & Electric estimates that installing eight new generators at Diablo Canyon, north of San Luis Obispo, will cost $706 million.

At San Onofre, removing the massive generators would require cutting holes in the protective containment buildings and releasing the tension from steel support cables — a delicate and expensive operation. The work would be somewhat simpler at Diablo Canyon, which has large hatches through which the generators could be removed.

If the work is not done, the generating stations may have to be shut down in five to 10 years as their steam-driven generators deteriorate, plant owners say.

But two utility companies that share ownership of San Onofre with Edison, along with some consumer and environmental groups, wonder if the repairs would be worth the expense — and if ratepayers would get stuck with unexpected bills.

Without these generation sources, California will have to rely more heavily on sources such as LNG.