1.0 Site Identification
| Type of Site: |
Power Reactor Facility |
| Location: |
Eureka, CA |
| License No.: |
DPR-7 |
| Docket No.: |
50-133 |
| License Status: |
Standalone ISFSI (DECON complete - ISFSI remains) |
| Project Manager: |
None |
2.0 Site Status Summary
Humboldt Bay, Unit 3 was a 65 MWe boiling water reactor plant located 4 miles southwest of Eureka, CA. The plant operated commercially from 1963 to 1976. On July 2, 1976, Humboldt Bay Power Plant (HBPP) Unit 3 was shut down for annual refueling and to conduct seismic modifications. In 1983, updated economic analyses indicated that restarting Unit 3 would probably not be cost-effective, and in June 1983, PG&E announced its intention to decommission the unit. On July 16, 1985, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Amendment No. 19 to the HBPP Unit 3 Operating License to change the status to possess-but-not-operate, and the plant was placed into a SAFSTOR status. SAFSTOR is the decommissioning method in which a nuclear facility is placed and maintained in a condition that allows the safe storage of radioactive components of the nuclear plant and subsequent decontamination to levels that permit license termination. In December 2003, PG&E formally submitted a license application to the NRC for approval of a dry-cask Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) at the Humboldt Bay site. A license and safety evaluation for the Humboldt Bay ISFSI were issued on November 17, 2005. The transfer of spent fuel from the fuel storage pool to the ISFSI was completed in December 2008, and decontamination and dismantlement of HBPP Unit 3 decommissioning commenced. Virtually all of the plant related structures have been removed from the site including the caisson. A caisson is a water tight structure used as a foundation or to carry out work below grade. At Humboldt Bay, the caisson was a first of its kind to house a nuclear containment structure, pressure suppression chamber, and nuclear steam supply system below grade.
Decommissioning of Humboldt Bay Unit 3 is complete, including final status surveys and license termination activities. The site met all criteria for decommissioning and release of the site for unrestricted use in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 20, Subpart E, and the 10 CFR Part 50 license was terminated on November 18, 2021.
3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues
None.
4.0 Estimated Date for Closure
Part 50 license Terminated November 18, 2021