Irvine study session on San Onofre spent fuel highlights local plan proposals, experts urge interim relocation

The Irvine City Council on Sept. 30 convened a study session to examine public‑safety considerations for the 123 spent‑fuel canisters stored at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). Presenters included a former Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman, university public‑health experts and Southern California Edison officials; dozens of residents and advocacy organizations urged the council to commission a locally focused plan to move the canisters inland.

Gregory Jaczko, who served as chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 2009 to 2012, told the council that while federal responsibility for a permanent repository has stalled, “there is too much acceptance” that existing permits and authorizations will simply be extended indefinitely. He said the fuel must be moved and recommended studying options for removal and interim storage sooner than currently assumed.

“We should be more ambitious,” Jaczko said, arguing the goal should be to remove fuel “as close as possible to the expiration of the Coastal Commission’s permits in 2035.” He described a conceptual “plan B” that would relocate canisters from the coast to a fortified inland facility on higher ground, such as Camp Pendleton, where monitoring and…