No. IV-10-006 

Contact: Victor Dricks: (817) 860-8128 

 Lara Uselding: (817) 276-6519 

 

 March 16, 2010 

 E-Mail: OPA4.Resource@nrc.gov

NRC TO DISCUSS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AT 

SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold a public meeting in Dana Point, 

Calif., on March 24, to discuss the agency=s assessment of safety performance for last year at the 

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). 

 An “open house” will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. to provide an opportunity for people to 

meet informally with NRC staff. A formal meeting between the NRC staff and Southern 

California Edison Co. officials will begin at 7 p.m. during which the NRC staff will present its 

safety assessment of San Onofre. It will be followed by another informal session with an 

opportunity for people to ask questions about San Onofre issues. The meetings will be held at the 

Doubletree Guest Suites Doheny Beach, 34402 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 

 AThe NRC continually reviews the performance of San Onofre and the nation=s other 

commercial nuclear power facilities,@ said NRC Region IV Administrator Elmo Collins.” This 

meeting will provide an opportunity for a discussion of our annual assessment of safety 

performance with the company as well as local officials and residents who live near the plant.@

A letter sent from the NRC Region IV office to plant officials addresses the performance 

of the plant during 2009 and will serve as the basis for the meeting discussion. It is available on 

the NRC web site at: 

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/sano_2009q4.pdf. 

Although SONGS Units 2 and 3 operated in a manner that preserved public health and 

safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives, the NRC is concerned that continuing 

performance problems are not being effectively addressed. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region IV 

 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 

 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 

Telephone: (817) 860-8128 
 “The NRC continues to find problems with human performance and issues regarding the 

ability of workers to identify and resolve plant problems,” Collins said. “This is the fifth 

consecutive assessment cycle where substantive cross-cutting issues were identified in both of 

these areas. Corrective actions taken to address these issues have been ineffective.” 

 “Allegations at San Onofre are at 10 times the national median. Trends in allegations 

claiming discrimination and retaliation, as well as anonymous allegations, have increased 

significantly over previous years,” he said in his letter to Southern California Edison Co. 

officials. As a result, the NRC issued a “chilling effect” letter on March 2, requesting specific 

actions be taken to ensure San Onofre is a workplace that fosters an environment where 

employees feel free, and are encouraged, to raise safety concerns. 

Therefore, in addition to the normal detailed inspections performed at every site, the NRC 

plans to conduct additional inspections during 2010 to verify that weaknesses in human 

performance, problem identification & resolution and safety conscious work environment are 

being addressed. 

Inspections are performed by NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant and by 

inspection specialists from the Region IV Office in Arlington, Texas. 

Current performance information for San Onofre Unit Two is available on the NRC web 

site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/SANO2/sano2_chart.html. 

Current performance information for San Onofre Unit 3 is available at: 

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/SANO3/sano3_chart.html. 

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