San Onofre nuclear test sirens sound for possibly last time

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (KABC) -- Sirens went off three times between 10 a.m. and noon Wednesday in the San Onofre area, possibly the final drill from the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station, as the plant is being shut down.

The siren test involved the cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, as well as other areas of southern Orange County, plus nearby state parks and the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County.

The plant is in the process of being decommissioned after a leak was located in one of its steam generators in 2012. Southern California Edison, the majority owner of the plant, closed the plant instead of performing a costly restart process. Its operating license is good until 2022.

SoCal Edison says it will take 20 years and $4.4 billion to dismantle the plant.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still reviewing the plant's safety plan.

The nuclear plant has been generating electricity since 1968. A radiation leak was found in January 2012 and the plant has been offline since.

Fliers were distributed in the area and a radio broadcast alerted area residents to the test.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.