Sen. Barbara Boxer on decommissioning nuclear plants

The nuclear decommissioning process is flawed. That’s the message coming out of Washington D.C. today.

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer of California chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, which held a hearing this morning on retired nuclear power plants. Senator Boxer introduced one of three bills yesterday to change how the Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversees decommissioning.

The move comes as Southern California is preparing for the summer’s energy needs without the help of the San Onofre nuclear plant, which was shut down in 2012 after premature wear was found in replacement steam generator tubes.

Sen. Boxer spoke with KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis.