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Utility Fined for its Handling of Nuke Cannisters

The issue involves the transfer of radioactive nuclear waste containers from cooling pools to safer bunkers.

In this June 7, 2013 file photo surfers stand in water in front of the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in San Onofre, Calif. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is fining Southern California Edison $116,000 for violations in its handling of nuclear canisters at the facility. The decision announced Monday, March 25, 2019, in an online town hall meeting involves the transfer of radioactive nuclear waste containers from cooling pools to safer bunkers. The Orange County Register reports Southern California Edison indicated it would accept the penalty.
In this June 7, 2013 file photo surfers stand in water in front of the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in San Onofre, Calif. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is fining Southern California Edison $116,000 for violations in its handling of nuclear canisters at the facility. The decision announced Monday, March 25, 2019, in an online town hall meeting involves the transfer of radioactive nuclear waste containers from cooling pools to safer bunkers. The Orange County Register reports Southern California Edison indicated it would accept the penalty.
AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File

SAN ONOFRE, Calif. (AP) — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is fining the Southern California Edison utility $116,000 for violations in its handling of nuclear canisters at the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

The decision announced Monday in an online town hall meeting involves the transfer of radioactive nuclear waste containers from cooling pools to safer bunkers.

The violations were a failure to have a backup system in case a fuel canister was dropped and failure to notify the commission within 24 hours after a canister was at risk of being dropped into an 18-foot-deep (5.5-meter-deep) bunker rather than being lowered.

The Orange County Register reports Southern California Edison can dispute the fine but issued a statement indicating it would accept the penalty, saying the event should not have happened and takes full responsibility.

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