As a result of pressure from The Surfrider Foundation and the State Lands Commission, Southern California Edison has committed to providing 48-hour notifications of liquid batch releases of radioactive effluent at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
It's alarming for many to learn that effluent containing small amounts of radioactive isotopes routinely gets released from nuclear power plants across the United States. For Southern California, that means San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) releases these radioactive materials through ocean discharge pipes 1.1 miles offshore of the popular surf beaches at San Onofre State Park. Released isotopes often include cesium-137, cobalt-60 and tritium.
When the plant was in operation, SONGS averaged 171 radioactive liquid batch releases each year, without any public notification. Now that the plant has decommissioned, the frequency and volume of releases has decreased substantially. Edison has warned that in the next couple years, the frequency and volume will increase again due to the draining and demolition of spent fuel cooling pools and other infrastructure onsite.
Surfrider believes that if these releases are going to occur, people should have the right to know about them in advance. The good news is that the dose is low and is currently considered not a health hazard from seawater exposure (e.g. based on previously reported dose levels, surfing San Onofre every day for 100 years would result in a radiation dose less than a single dental X-ray); however, any exposure to radiation is concerning and important to be aware of. Learn more about potential health risks associated with San Onofre batch releases from independent expert radiochemist, Dr. Ken Buesseler.
To help track and understand the level of exposure these liquid releases would pose to people surfing in the area, Surfrider partnered with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Our Radioactive Ocean campaign to test beach water at the San Onofre surf zone and outfall site for radioactive isotopes. In 2022, beach water test results came back higher than the ambient ocean level of California coastal waters impacted by Fukushima, yet well below drinking water limits. The study was conducted again in 2023 with similar findings. These studies were made possible thanks to donations from community members across Southern California. Surfrider also monitors Edison’s public Liquid Batch Release Notification page and will aim to add all release notifications to the list below.
February 21, 2024- Radioactive Effluent Release MONDAY, February 26! Edison will release about 95,930 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00306 mrem on Monday, February 26. This release will account for 0.0559% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC, and is expected to take place over the course of 16 hours.
February 11, 2024- Radioactive Effluent Release MONDAY, February 12! Edison will release about 105,076 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.000293 mrem, tomorrow, February 12. This release will account for 0.00489% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC, and is expected to take place over the course of 8 hours.
November 12, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release MONDAY, November 13! Edison will release about 111,300 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00402 mrem, on Monday, November 13. This release will account for 0.309% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC, and is expected to take place over the course of 15 hours.
October 27, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release YESTERDAY, October 26! Edison released about 140,450 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00451 mrem, on Thursday, October 26. This release accounts for 0.233% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC, and is expected to take place over the course of 23.5 hours.
July 25, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release THURSDAY, July 27! Edison will release about 119,250 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00698 mrem, on Thursday, July 27. This release will account for 0.235% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC, and expected to take place over the course of 20 hours.
June 8, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release TODAY, June 8! Edison is releasing about 140,450 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00901 mrem, on Thursday, June 8. This release will account for 0.21% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC.
May 25, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release THURSDAY, May 25! Edison released about 45,050 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00233 mrem, on Thursday, May 25. This release will account for 0.0599% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC.
March 14, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release for THIS THURSDAY, Mar 16, Announced! Over the course of 22 hours, Edison will release 120,734 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00532 mrem on Thursday, March 16. This release will account for 0.0997% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC.
February 25, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release for THIS MONDAY, Feb 27, Announced! Over the course of 21 hours, Edison will release 107,765 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00402 mrem on Monday, February 27. This release will account for 0.0695% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC.
February 13, 2023- Radioactive Effluent Release for THIS WEDNESDAY, Feb 15, Announced! Edison will release about 110,000 gallons of radioactive effluent, causing an additional dose of 0.00893 mrem, on Wednesday, February 15. This release will account for 0.149%% of the Annual Whole Body Dose Limit set by the NRC.
To learn more about Surfrider’s effort to protect the ocean, waves and beaches near San Onofre and get the waste off the beach, click here.