Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station

The Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station is a decommissioned nuclear power plant built by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) in Clay Station, California.

This 2772 MWt Babcock and Wilcox pressurized water reactor (913 MWe) achieved initial criticality on 16 September 1976 and entered commercial operation on 17 April 1977. The plant operated from April 1975 to June 1989 but had a lifetime capacity average of only 39%; it was closed by public vote on 6 June 1989 (despite the fact that its operating license expiry was not until 11 October 2008) after multiple referendums and the promise of ten years of subsidized power from the Diablo Canyon power plant. As of 2005, decommissioning activities are underway.

History

Reactor hall and cooling towers

In 1966, SMUD purchased  acres ( km²) in southeast Sacramento County for a nuclear power plant, which was built in Clay Station,  miles ( km) south-east of downtown Sacramento.

In the early 1970s, a small pond was expanded to a  acre ( km²) lake to serve as an emergency backup water supply (in case of fire) for the Rancho Seco power generating station. The lake has always received its water from the Folsom South Canal and has no relationship with the power plant's daily water supply. Surrounding the lake is  acres ( km²) of recreational area originally operated by the County of Sacramento for day-use activities.

After its closure in 1989, the plant grounds were converted into a public park, whose operations were assumed by SMUD in 1992. SMUD now uses the park-generated revenues to fund all park-related operating costs. In cooperation with the Nature Conservancy, SMUD dedicated in June 2006 the Howard Ranch Nature Trail, a seven-mile (11 km) long trail that follows riparian and marsh habitat along Rancho Seco Lake and the adjoining Howard Ranch that once belonged to the owner of the famous racehorse Seabiscuit.

Rancho Seco Park

The park is now also managed by the California Department of Water Resources, and the now-empty towers remain a prominent part of the local landscape. Also scattered through out the area are the still active air raid sirens that at one time would have warned people of nuclear meltdown. Additions to SMUD's Ranco Seco property have included massive solar installations and, more recently, the natural gas-fired Cosumnes Power Plant, brought online in 2006.

See also

• Nuclear power
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District

References

• Report on Rancho Seco from nukeworker.com
• Rancho Seco – 10 years after pulling the plug: A recharged SMUD seeing better times

External links

• Maps and aerial photos for 38°′″N 121°′″W / 38.345953, -121.12211Coordinates: 38°′″N 121°′″W / 38.345953, -121.12211
  • WikiSatellite view at WikiMapia
  • Street map from Mapquest or Google
  • Topographic map from Topozone
  • Aerial photograph from Terraserver or Google
  • Closeup aerial from Terraserver or Google

Donate to Wikimedia