Current Decommissioning Status and Timeline
The Villa San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), located in San Diego County, California, ceased operations in 2013 after a failed restart attempt following a radiation leak. The plant's owner, Southern California Edison, transferred the decommissioning trust fund to a dedicated subsidiary, SanOnofre Nuclear Generating Station LLC, which is now executing the long-term dismantling process under oversight from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The project has moved from the SAFSTOR phase to active dismantlement, with spent nuclear fuel removal from the site a central milestone. Edison has publicly stated the goal of completing all dismantling activities and achieving a license termination by the late 2020s, a schedule that depends on continued regulatory approvals and fund availability. For the official NRC license termination and decommissioning oversight details, see the agency's SONGS page at NRC Decommissioning for San Onofre.
Decommissioning costs for SONGS have been a subject of regulatory scrutiny, with the total estimated cost rising from an initial $4.4 billion to over $4.7 billion as of the latest filings. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has conducted multiple proceedings to determine how these costs were allocated between utility shareholders and ratepayers, resulting in a settlement that required customers to shoulder a portion of the retirement expenses. Edison has reported that the decommissioning trust fund balance is being carefully managed to cover the remaining work, and the company publishes annual financial updates in its rate case filings. The CPUC's role in cost allocation and the final approved budget for the project can be reviewed in its decision archives at CPUC San Onofre Decision Records.
Spent Fuel Management and On-Site Storage
As of the latest public data, the majority of SONGS spent nuclear fuel remains stored in dry cask systems on the former plant site, a temporary solution that has become a long-term reality for many retired U.S. nuclear plants. The fuel, which was moved from the spent fuel pool to hardened storage casks after the reactor shutdown, is monitored continuously and secured by a physical security plan approved by the NRC. Edison has coordinated with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on the federal government's obligation to provide a permanent geological repository, but the project's timeline has shifted significantly, leaving on-site storage as the de facto long-term strategy. The DOE's current status on the Yucca Mountain repository and related consent-based siting efforts is detailed at DOE Spent Nuclear Fuel Management.
The on-site storage arrangements at Villa San Onofre involve multiple independent spent fuel storage installations, each designed to withstand extreme environmental and seismic events. Edison has reported that the dry cask storage systems have passed all NRC safety evaluations and that the site's seismic resilience is a key factor in the long-term storage plan. The company has also engaged with local community groups and elected officials to address concerns about transportation, security, and the lack of a permanent federal waste repository. The NRC's public documents on dry cask storage safety and the SONGS-specific inspection results are available at NRC Spent Fuel Storage Information.
Regulatory Oversight and Financial Accountability
The decommissioning of Villa San Onofre is governed by a strict regulatory framework that includes NRC license termination requirements, CPUC cost-recovery proceedings, and public reporting obligations.