According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), SONGS "proposed to store the 3.6 million pounds of spent nuclear fuel on-site; at least until a more permanent home, such as a geologic repository, is constructed." EESI claims that "SONGS shut down unexpectedly in 2012 after premature wear was discovered in steam generator tubes. Additionally, radioactive leakage was found to have made its way into the environment. Decommissioning is estimated to take twenty years, marking a 2032 completion date. The EESI puts the cost of SONGS' decommissioning at $4.4 billion.
The Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2024 was introduced to the House of Representatives in September of 2024. The Bill exists in order "to establish a new organization to manage nuclear waste, provide a consent-based process for siting nuclear waste facilities, ensure adequate funding for managing nuclear waste, and for other purposes." While it has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the status of the bill remains as "Introduced."
According to a website published by SoCal Edison (songscommunity.com), since the decommissioning of SONGS began:
46 of 62 buildings have been demolished
474 million pounds of waste have been shipped offsite
1,787 rail cars have transported waste and materials off-site
107 million pounds of decommissioning material have been recycled
50 public meetings of the SONGS Community Engagement Panel have taken place,
And more than 500 tours hosting 8,000 visitors have occurred
According to the NRC, Dry Cask Storage "typically have a sealed metal cylinder to contain the spent fuel enclosed within a metal or concrete outer shell to provide radiation shielding." The NRC touts dry cask storage as being capable of preventing nuclear fission, managing heat, and containing the radiation from the spent fuel inside the casks. Dry storage casks are licensed in two different ways. The first way is called a "site-specific license." A site-specific license "allows a specific cask design to be used at a specific location and offers the opportunity for a hearing before the NRC grants the license," according to the NRC. The second type of license is called a general license, which "allows a reactor site to use any cask certified by the NRC, as long as the site meets the conditions specified in the certificate." The public is allotted an opportunity to comment on any cask designs prior to the NRC's certification. This allows for public input before a standard is set. Whether the public's comments are addressed or adhered to is a case-specific issue.
According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), SONGS originally consisted of three different nuclear powerplants. The NRC claims that "Unit 1 commenced operation in 1968, and shut down in 1992)." Its decommissioning process is essentially complete, says the NRC. The reactor pressure vessel couldn't be moved due to its size, but the radioactivity of its contents has fallen to such a level that "allows it to be treated as low level waste." The NRC confirms that Units 2 and 3 "permanently ceased operations in June 2013," and that "[the] Unit 1 Reactor Pressure Vessel was transported [on May 24, 2020 from San Onofre] via rail and then highway to the Energy Solutions disposal facility in Clive, Utah... [on July 14, 2020]" where it now resides permanently.
The spent fuel at San Onofre is stored in canisters that cannot be internally inspected or repaired, leaving them vulnerable to stress corrosion, earthquakes, and coastal hazards. Oversight has been limited, with exemptions from NRC rules and past incidents demonstrating gaps in safety management. Federal policy has failed to provide a permanent repository, leaving spent fuel stranded nationwide for decades. The site illustrates broader patterns of environmental injustice, where marginalized and coastal communities disproportionately bear nuclear risks. The Samuel Lawrence Foundation works to advance scientifically grounded, transparent, and community-centered solutions to ensure long-term safety and equitable decision-making.