Rep. Mike Levin Outlines Progress and Next Steps to Remove Nuclear Waste from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
San Clemente, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) held a press conference at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to announce the release of the 2026 SONGS Report and provide updates on efforts to safely remove spent nuclear fuel from the site. He was joined by Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley; Daniel Stetson, Trustee and Executive Director of The Nicholas Endowment; and Steve Powell, President of Southern California Edison.
The 2026 SONGS Report tracks progress since Rep. Levin first convened the SONGS Task Force in 2019 and the release of its report in 2020, which outlined 30 policy recommendations. Since Rep. Levin took office, all spent nuclear fuel has been transferred from wet pools into dry storage, 52 of the site’s 62 structures have been demolished, and more than 700 million pounds of material have been removed. Both containment domes are expected to be dismantled by the end of 2027, with major decommissioning work on track to be completed by the end of 2028.
“When I convened the SONGS Task Force in 2019, there was no clear path to move nuclear waste off our coastline. Today, we can point to real progress at San Onofre and growing momentum at the federal level,” said Rep. Levin.“But more than 1,600 tons of spent nuclear fuel still sit just 100 feet from the Pacific Ocean. We cannot mistake progress for a permanent solution. I will keep working across party lines to secure the funding, reforms, and safe storage and disposal options needed to finally get this waste off our coast.”
At the federal level, Rep. Levin highlighted nearly $250 million he has helped secure for spent nuclear fuel management and removal efforts nationwide, including more than $100 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. These investments have supported collaborative efforts to identify potential offsite storage locations, research into long-term waste management, and the development and certification of the Atlas railcar system for transporting spent nuclear fuel.
Rep. Levin also pointed to the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses as a major initiative for nuclear waste removal and storage supported by the federal funding he secured. In July, the governors of Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho signed memoranda of understanding to explore hosting proposed campuses that could eventually accept spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned sites like SONGS.
“For too long, our communities have lived with the uncertainty of storing spent nuclear fuel along our coastline without a permanent solution in place. With rising sea levels, coastal erosion and seismic risks, we cannot afford to let this issue languish. We must move this waste safely and responsibly to a federally licensed facility,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “I commend Congressman Mike Levin for his bipartisan leadership and continued efforts to advance solutions that protect our communities, our environment and future generations. Today’s report is an important opportunity to build on that progress and move closer to a permanent solution.”
“The safe storage and removal of the spent fuel is truly a bipartisan issue that transcends political differences,” said Daniel Stetson, Trustee and Executive Director of The Nicholas Endowment. “The time for action is now, before today’s challenges become tomorrow’s legacy.”
“The decommissioning of SONGS continues to progress safely. The need for a permanent offsite solution for used nuclear fuel remains, and we look to the federal government to fulfill its responsibility to provide one. SCE helped form the Spent Fuel Solutions coalition to advocate for the policy reforms needed to move a permanent solution forward,” said Southern California Edison President and CEO Steve Powell. “Representative Levin has been a leading voice in Washington on this issue, and we are encouraged by the serious conversations underway around collaborative siting of used fuel disposal through DOE’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus initiative. We look forward to continuing to work with him to protect our customers’ investment in a permanent repository.”
Rep. Levin emphasized the importance of continued congressional action and oversight, collaboration with potential host communities for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, and a sustained commitment to finding a long-term solution that safely removes spent nuclear fuel from the California coast.
Read the full 2026 SONGS Report here.
Watch the Full Press Conference here.
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