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San Onofre Plans Major Emergency Test

The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in northern San Diego County is shown in this undated photo.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in northern San Diego County is shown in this undated photo.

One of the largest emergency tests in years will be conducted at the San Onofre nuclear power plant next week. Operators want to know if we're prepared for a natural disaster.

About 200 workers will be simulating how to shutdown the plant north of San Diego and secure radioactive fuel. Gil Alexander is with Southern California Edison the company in charge of San Onofre. He said this will be the largest drill of its kind to insure public safety.

"We believe the plant is safe (from) any type of natural disaster," he said.

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State law requires nuclear plants be tested every few years in California. The two-day drill begins on Tuesday. It was planned long before the nuclear crisis in Japan.

Energy experts from California and the federal government will observe and grade the exercises.

A former San Onofre plant manager filed a lawsuit against the company last month. He claims he was fired because he spoke up about safety concerns his workers had.