The operator of California’s troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant on Thursday proposed to restart one of the facility’s twin reactors after concluding it could be run safely despite damage to scores of tubes that carry radioactive water.
A plan to return even one reactor to service is a milestone for Southern California Edison, which has spent months unraveling what caused excessive tube vibration and friction inside the plant’s virtually new steam generators, then determining how to fix it.
The proposal was immediately denounced by environmentalists who have argued for months the seaside plant between San Diego and Los Angeles is too damaged to restart safely. About 7.4 million Californians live within 50 miles of San Onofre, which can power 1.4 million homes.
The plan
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