AECOM, EnergySolutions win bid for San Onofre nuclear plant decommissioning contract

Southern California Edison (SCE) announced this week that it chose a joint venture between AECOM and EnergySolutions as the decommissioning general contractor for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).

The joint venture will be known as SONGS Decommissioning Solutions.

“We are pleased to announce the selection of the AECOM/EnergySolutions team, a global joint venture with extensive commercial and government decommissioning experience around the world, as the prime contractor to safely and efficiently dismantle the San Onofre nuclear plant,” SCE President Ron Nichols said.

The dismantlement process of the California power plant is projected to take about 10 years. Work will begin in 2018 after the state completes its environmental review, which is required by the California Environmental Quality Act.

The SONGS decommissioning project is one of the largest in the United States and is expected to create about 600 jobs.

The project will cost $4.4 billion, which includes dismantlement costs and the cost of temporary, on-site storage for the plant’s used fuel. Decommissioning will be financed through existing trust funds.

SCE, the majority owner of the plant, shares decommissioning responsibilities with co-owners San Diego Gas & Electric and the city of Riverside, as well as former co-owner, the city of Anaheim.