San Onofre Nuclear Plant Closing Shows Transition to Renewables, Energy Efficiency Is Working

NRDC: “We have better energy options than nuclear.”

LOS ANGELES (June 7, 2013) – Southern California Edison today announced plans to close the 40-year-old San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) which has been offline since January 2012 because of safety issues.

Following is a statement from NRDC Legal Director for Western Energy and Climate Projects, Kristin Eberhard:

“SoCal Edison realizes we have better energy options than nuclear and it's futile to pump money into an outdated technology.

“Instead of putting Band-Aids on a nuclear plant built decades ago, the company decided to better serve its customers and its shareholders by moving forward with a portfolio dominated by energy efficiency and other clean energy solutions.

“Other energy providers also struggling with aging and outmoded nuclear plants elsewhere can learn from SoCal Edison, and listen to what the majority of Americans say they want: less costly, better, safer, more modern options to nuclear.”

For information on how California has adapted its energy sector without the plant, see this blog from Devra Wang, director of NRDC’s California Energy Program: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dwang/replacing_songs.html

For background on SONGS’ closing and past safety issues, see this blog from Matthew McKinzie, director of NRDC’s nuclear program: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mmckinzie/today_the_california_utility_c.html