Two companies have been picked to complete the dangerous work of decommissioning the now-shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), it was announced Tuesday.
SONGS operator Southern California Edison made the announcement that Los Angeles-based AECOM and Salt Lake City-base EnergySolutions will tackle the project, which is expected to take 10 years. It will be one of the country’s largest commercial nuclear plant decommissioning projects, according to SCE.
AECOM is an integrated global infrastructure firm, while EnergySolutions specializes in nuclear plant decommissioning and waste management, and is currently in the demolition phase of decommissioning both the Zion and Dairyland nuclear power stations, according to the SCE announcement.
The joint venture — to be called SONGS Decommissioning Solutions — follows a 10-month competitive bid process.
“SCE will maintain strict oversight of the contractor and will continue to engage with the community and all stakeholders during decommissioning,” said Ron Nichols, SCE president.
Nichols added that the major dismantlement work will not begin before 2018 when state regulators are expected to complete their environmental review, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act.
The project is expected to create about 600 jobs during the 10-year dismantlement phase, including workers from local companies, according to SCE.
“The $4.4 billion nuclear plant decommissioning is financed through existing trust funds, including SCE’s share of the project as majority owner. The total cost includes the dismantlement work awarded to SONGS Decommissioning Solutions, continued on-site storage of San Onofre’s used nuclear fuel until the federal government provides a required repository and restoration activities,” according to the SCE statement.
SCE shares responsibility for decommissioning with San Onofre co-owners San Diego Gas & Electric and the City of Riverside, and former co-owner, the City of Anaheim.