San Onofre Canister Drop Incident

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This topic collects information regarding the San Onofre Canister Drop Incident on August 3, 2018

• NRC page on this incident: https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/songs-spec-insp-activities-cask-loading-misalignment.html
• Songs Community website information (SCE) -- https://www.songscommunity.com/used-nuclear-fuel/industrial-safety-and-canister-loading/aug-3-2018-canister-loading-incident-key-information-and-background
• 2018-11-29 -- Presentation to CEP on the incident -- https://www.songscommunity.com/internal_redirect/cms.ipressroom.com.s3.amazonaws.com/339/files/201811/SCE%20-%20Canister%20Downloading%2011-29-18.pdf
• 2019-06-03 -- SCE News Release announcing restart of loading operations -- https://www.songscommunity.com/news/releases/sce-looking-ahead-to-re-start-of-fuel-transfer-operations-at-san-onofre-nuclear-plant

Background

On August 3, 2018, a 50-ton canister was being lowered into the underground vault when it came to rest on the edge of the guide ring, about 18 feet above the bottom of the vault. According to whistle-blower David Fritch, the canister was only held by a fraction of an inch while the crane system lowered and the support rigging became slack. The crane lowered all the way down and the workers were unawary of the danger for nearly an hour. They then noticed that it was not correctly loaded and raised the crane system to regain control, and then lowered it into the vault.

At the August 9 CEP meeting, SCE did not report on the incident until David Fritch reported it in the public comment period.

Later, it was also revealed that the canisters tend to scape along the alignment ring, causing scratches and gouging. The certification for the canister system said no scratches would exist on the surface. The NRC stopped further loading to review that situation but eventually approved the continuation of loading operations.

Summary of articles submitted (Add | All):

• (M1908) 2019-07-24 Move the waste off San Onofre beach and inland within Camp Pendleton -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
• (M1897) 2019-03-25 NRC Webinar on Canister Drop Incident -- , Citizens Oversight,
• (M1891) 2019-03-12 Citizens' Oversight requests status from San Onofre Expert team as anniversary approaches. -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
• (M1889) 2019-01-24 San Onofre Special Inspection Predecisional Enforcement Conference -- , Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
• (M1886) 2018-11-08 NRC Webinar on Canister Mishap of Aug 3, 2018 at San Onofre -- , NRC,
• (M1877) 2018-08-30 Letter to NRC Regarding Inspection of Near-Miss Incident -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
• (M1871) 2018-08-12 Citizens Oversight Calls Full-Stop and Thorough Safety Review at San Onofre after Near-Miss Incident -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
• (M1870) 2018-08-09 Whistle-Blower David Fritch describes canister nearly falling 18 ft at CEP meeting -- , Citizens Oversight, CEP Meeting in Oceanside