Nuclear Power Plants in California

Diablo Canyon Location: CA Operator: Pacific Gas and Electric Co Configuration: 2 X 1,197 MW PWR Operation: 1985-1986 Reactor supplier: WH T/G supplier: WH EPC: PG&E Quick facts: Diablo Canyon is on an isolated 750ac site on the central California coast The two units were under construction for almost 20yrs and cost about $5.8bn. They supply about 20% of PG&E's electricity and are the most important baseload units on the Northern California grid. Photograph courtesy of Pacific Gas and Electric Co Posted 18 Feb 2011	Humboldt Bay Location: CA Operator: Pacific Gas and Electric Co Configuration: 2 X 51 MW conventional steam, 1 X 75 MW BWR, 2 X 15 MW gas turbines Operation: 1956-1976 Reactor supplier: GE Boiler supplier: B&W, Riley T/G supplier: GE, WH EPC: PG&E Quick facts: This photo shows Units 1-3 at upper left and two GTs and foundation work on a new gas-engine power station lower center. Unit-3 came online in 1963 and  was shut down in 1976 for refueling, seismic upgrades, and repairs. As there had been significant changes to nuclear safety standards, the decision was made that further modifications were not economical, and that Unit-3 was not restarted. In 1986, PG&E requested an NRC license amendment for SAFSTOR, a condition which would permit Unit-3 to store nuclear fuel, but not operate and this was received in 1988. In Oct 2009, nuclear unit disassembly got underway and, in Jul 2010, the new gas engines went online and Units 1&2 were closed. Photograph courtesy of Pacific Gas and Electric Co Posted 19 Mar 2011	Rancho Seco Location: CA Operator: Sacramento Municipal Utility Dist Configuration: 1 X 963 MW PWR Operation: 1975 (ret 1989) Reactor supplier: B&W T/G supplier: WH EPC: Bechtel Quick facts: Rancho Seco was closed after a public referendum. In Oct 2009, the NRC released 80ac of the site for unrestricted public use. Approximately 11ac of land including a storage building with low-level radwaste and a dry-cask spent fuel storage area remain under NRC license. Photograph courtesy of Power Posted 26 May 2007
San Onofre Unit-1 Location: CA Operator: Southern California Edison Co Configuration: 1 X 456-MW PWR Operation: 1968 Reactor supplier: WH T/G supplier: WH EPC: Bechtel Quick Facts: SONGS-1 was a 3-loop reactor rated at 1347 MWt. It began commercial operation on 1 Jan 1968 and was stopped on 30 Nov 1992. Defuelling was completed on 6 Mar 1993. Decommissioning began in 1999 and the majority of the plant's structures and facilities were decontaminated, dismantled and removed from the site by 2008 at a cost of about $460mn. The containment sphere for SONGS Unit-1 is shown under construction in this image dating to 1966. Photograph copyright by and courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Posted 30 Dec 2011	San Onofre 2&3 Location: CA Operator: Southern California Edison Co Configuration: 2 X 1,200 MW PWR Operation: 1983-1984 Reactor supplier: CE T/G supplier: GEC EPC: Bechtel Quick Facts: The T/G sets for Units 2&3 are the only GEC machines in the USA and the largest the company ever built. Alstom supplied replacement welded LP rotors at SONGS in 1999. In Feb 2001, a 2yr, $671mn project to replace all four 640t steam generators was completed. These were ordered from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Sep 2004. Photograph courtesy of Power Posted 18 Jun 2004	Vallecitos Location: CA Operator: Pacific Gas and Electric Co Configuration: 1 X 5 MW BWR Operation: 1957 (ret 1963) Reactor supplier: GE T/G supplier: GE EPC: GE, Bechtel Quick facts: Vallecitos was the first privately-owned and operated nuclear power plant to deliver significant quantities of electricity to the grid supplying, about 40 GWh from Oct 1957 to Dec 1963. It was used by GE as a pilot plant and test bed for fuel, core components, controls, and staff training for the Dresden power station built in Illinois 5yrs later. The site in Alameda Co is still in use by GE for nuclear R&D. Photograph by Don Sleeter (wikimedia) Posted 5 Dec 2009

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