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Public Safety

Tubes Shut Down At San Onofre Nuclear Plant

Evening sets on the San Onofre atomic power plant December 6, 2004 in northern San Diego County, south of San Clemente, California.
David McNew
Evening sets on the San Onofre atomic power plant December 6, 2004 in northern San Diego County, south of San Clemente, California.

The San Onofre nuclear power plant in Southern California is shutting down some of the tubes in a reactor because of premature wear.

Southern California Edison spokesman Gil Alexander announced Monday that an undisclosed number of tubes will be taken out of service because an inspection uncovered accelerated wear.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Victor Dricks tells U-T San Diego that it won't affect the reactor's efficiency.

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The tubes carry radioactive water for heat transfer. Each reactor has nearly 10,000 of them.

A leak in a tube shut down one plant reactor last month and allowed some water to leak along with traces of radioactive gas. However, officials say there was no danger to workers or neighbors.

The cause of that leak is still being traced.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.