Is San Onofre Nuclear Plant Safe?
Nuclear energy has been a public concern since the inception of atomic power. It can provide an incredible amount of energy, but it carries several risks, from radiation leaks and exposures to catastrophic meltdowns. The disposal of nuclear waste is also an enormous environmental concern, given the nature and lifespan of these materials.
San Diego is home to the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which was shut down in 2012 after inspectors detected radiation leaks and hot spots. An enormous controversy has surrounded the plant’s practices and the negotiations between the site owners (the United States Navy) and the utility companies that oversaw the facility. Local communities are also extremely critical of the waste disposal methods nuclear plants are considering.
San Onofre’s Radiation Leak
The San Onofre Nuclear Plant was shut down in 2012 after officials discovered a radiation leak that stemmed from damaged generators. This issue was traced to design flaws, which were uncovered during a federal investigation following the 2012 leak. This cost taxpayers over $3.3 billion, but the current plan to dispose the approximately four million pounds of nuclear waste has citizens concerned.
Inspectors detected elevated radiation levels as early as 1980, and recent developments placed a spotlight on some unscrupulous practices that may have taken place at San Onofre and endangered the surrounding areas. Secret negotiations between the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) have also surfaced, which shed more light on some issues at San Onofre.
The Navy owns San Onofre’s property, the Marines operate on a military base surrounding that property, and the SCE and SDG&E hold leases for the nuclear site property. Only SCE has released extensive responses to concerns surrounding the leak.
Burying Nuclear Waste
The current proposal is to bury the waste along the San Diego coastline for years to come, and this has understandably generated quite a bit of controversy. There are over eight million people living within 50 miles of San Onofre, and the recent Fukushima meltdown in Japan escalated local tensions about the nuclear site, given the disturbing similarities to the Fukushima incident. San Onofre rests near the San Andreas Fault, and an earthquake could spell disaster for San Onofre—just as it did for Fukushima.
Citizens are outraged that this leak was the result of mismanagement, botched designs, and an arguable amount of corrupt business. It also poses a huge risk to the San Clemente community and residents near San Onofre. Ample criticism was levied against SCE for its choice of nuclear containment devices, which have proven faulty if they aren’t properly maintained. They also have no early warning systems.
Public Well-Being
Nuclear power has the potential to be an enormous boon in terms of energy production and lowering the world’s reliance on fossil fuels. However, any nuclear site must be carefully designed and extensively and consistently inspected. The waste also needs to be disposed of using the safest means possible, for both the surrounding population and the environment. Unsafe procedures and lax inspections in nuclear power production are an enormous risk to the surrounding communities’ health and welfare.
When any utility company endangers public safety, the citizens they damage or put in harm’s way may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. Punitive damages are also possible in certain events. Liljegren Law Group specializes in personal injury cases, and our top priority in any claim is to maximize our clients’ recovery and compensation. Reach out to our team with questions you may have about a potential case, and we can review your options.