Costly earthquake study to determine future of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

SAN ONOFRE - Operators of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station are about to embark on a costly study on earthquake risk that could determine the future of the plant, it was reported today.

Southern California Edison, which operates the troubled plant just north of Camp Pendleton, is expected to spend $64 million on the seismic study. The study will focus on little-understood offshore faults and the risks they pose to the plant's aging reactors, which have been shut down since earlier this year.

San Onofre's two reactors, referred to as Unit 2 and Unit 3, have been offline since late Janua...