Basic Facts:
- Location: Eureka, California
- Owner: Pacific Gas & Electric Company
- Operator: Pacific Gas & Electric Company
- Construction Cost: $185M (2018$)
- Plant Output: 63 MW
- Property Size: 140 acres
- Status: Decommissioned
- Current DTF Balance: $190M (2018$)
- Decommissioning Completion Estimate: $170M (2018$)
- Spent Nuclear Fuel On Site: 29 metric tons
Background
Humboldt Bay was the first privately funded nuclear power plant built in the United States for the sole purpose of providing commercial electricity. Construction began in 1961, the plant was commissioned in 1963 and continued commercial operations until 1976. In 1983, the plant’s owner, PG&E, announced plans to decommission the facility and terminate the NRC license.
Decommissioning
The plant was placed into SAFSTOR status in 1985 with decontamination and dismantlement beginning in 2008. A majority of the nuclear generation equipment has been removed from the site with remaining activities limited to site restoration, radiological final status surveys and spent fuel storage.
Socioeconomics
Humboldt Bay is located in Humboldt County, California. As of 2016:
- Population: 136,000
- Per Capita Annual Income: $44,000
- Unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted): 4.2%
Contact Information
Economic Development Administration Representative:
- Malinda Matson, Seattle Regional Office, t: (916) 235-0088, e: [email protected]
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- John Hickman, Project Manager t: (301) 415-3017, e: [email protected]
- Humboldt Bay
Unless specific costing information has been provided, decommissioning costs were derived from 2017 Decommissioning Funding Status Report.
Information herein obtained from public sources. Corrections are welcome and may be directed to [email protected].
Additional Information
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Read MorePG&E completes decommissioning process, ends nuclear facility license
PG&E completes decommissioning process, ends nuclear facility license Following a years-long effort to decommission the former nuclear power plant in Humboldt Bay, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. recently filed a request with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to terminate the power plant’s license marking a “major milestone” for the Humboldt County community.
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