Humboldt Bay Power Plant

HBPP has been a dependable energy partner for Humboldt Bay and the surrounding communities. Below is a timeline of major events that shaped the history of HBPP, Unit 3.

HBPP Facts

• Safety is and always will be our most important responsibility at PG&E. We are committed to safely storing and maintaining the spent nuclear fuel and Greater than Class C (GTCC) waste at the HB ISFSI.
• In 2021, the NRC approved PG&E's request to terminate the HBPP, Unit 3 license.
• The HBPP site has been remediated and cleaned to acceptable levels validated by the NRC.
• These levels meet an extensive set of standards and release criteria for a post-industrial “residential farming” use.
• The NRC resident farmer scenario is the most restrictive level for remediation in NRC guidance for decommissioning reactor sites. The scenario assumes a family lives on site, grows a large portion of their food on site (cattle, plants, fish etc.) and drinks water from an aquifer onsite. Learn more about the NRC resident farmer scenario.
• The spent nuclear fuel and GTCC waste will continue to be stored onsite until an offsite repository is available.
• We do not currently have plans beyond utility/industrial use for the site as the HB ISFSI and the Humboldt Bay Generating Station are located within the former HBPP site boundary.
• Applicable lessons learned from HBPP decommissioning are being incorporated into the PG&E's Diablo Canyon Power Plant decommissioning.

• We safely manage spent fuel at the HB ISFSI.
• The ISFSI is an interim onsite storage program where used fuel is stored in canisters within transportation casks.
• This facility is safe, secure and regularly inspected by the NRC.
• The storage facility was designed and fortified to withstand the effects of environmental conditions and extreme events like earthquakes, fires or tsunamis.
• The ISFSI is located on the upper slope of Buhne Point, 40 feet above sea level. The highest part of Buhne Point is about 70 feet above sea level, the highest location in the vicinity of the community of King Salmon. Buhne Point is PG&E owned property.
• Buhne Point serves as a tsunami evacuation site for the community of King Salmon.
• It is important to our customers, and our hometowns, that the government fulfills this commitment for the long-term disposition of the spent fuel.
• Until such time as an offsite facility is licensed and constructed and the federal government accepts the spent fuel, we will continue to operate, maintain, protect and secure the HB ISFSI and its contents.
• The 0.2-acre site is contained within the Humboldt Bay Generating Station site footprint, approximately 143 acres.

The Humboldt Bay Power Plant site is designated Tsunami Ready. It maintains a community tsunami evacuation trail and area on company property for employees and King Salmon residents. This evacuation area is located at the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).

The ISFSI is located on the upper slope of Buhne Point, 40 feet above sea level. The highest part of Buhne Point is about 70 feet above sea level, which is the highest location in the vicinity of the community of King Salmon. Buhne Point is a PG&E owned property.

The first half of the hill is occupied by ISFSI, the other half of the hill is the public tsunami emergency evacuation site.

Humboldt County maintains a tsunami evacuation siren on HBPP property for the communities of King Salmon and Fields Landing.

Evacuation Zone

1000 King Salmon Avenue, Eureka, Humboldt County, CA

Pacific Gas & Electric’s Humboldt Bay Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) site in King Salmon currently has a Site Emergency Siren System to alert employees in the event of an onsite emergency.

• The siren consists of one loudspeaker mounted on a pole in the middle of the property.
• There are four different siren tones:
  • Fire
  • Assemble
  • Security event
  • Tsunami
• The siren is tested every Friday at 12:10 p.m. by sounding one of the four tones for no longer than 10 seconds.
• In an actual emergency, the siren will sound for three minutes.
• The County of Humboldt can independently activate the siren tsunami tone as part of the regional tsunami public warning system.

100-meter public access trail

A public trail to access a breakwater for fishing traverses the ISFSI 100-meter controlled area. Public access is controlled within the 100-meter controlled area during normal ISFSI operation.

Amenities are not available

There is no vehicle access or boat launch on the trail. There are also no park areas, picnic tables or bathrooms.

In 1998, PG&E chartered the Community Advisory Board (CAB) to facilitate communication with local community members. It improves our standing as a good neighbor and provides a mechanism for regular status updates on projects at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant site.

The CAB created a formal, two-way communication channel between PG&E and the community. Participants have included:

• Elected officials
• Union representatives
• Non-profit advocacy groups
• Neighbors to the site
• Local school principal
• Environmental groups
• Congressional office representatives
• Humboldt State University representative
• Humboldt County representative

The CAB and HBPP employees have developed a cooperative relationship. This has enabled robust conversations regarding PG&E projects, including building the Independent Spent Fuel Installation and the new Humboldt Bay Generating Station, as well as the decommissioning of the former natural gas units and overall site remediation.

Until recently, the CAB met three times a year. Discussions are underway on how best to keep CAB members and the community involved and informed as decommissioning activities have come to an end.

HBPP CAB Members:

• Matthew Marshall, Executive Director, Redwood Coast Energy Authority
• Mariann Hassler, Carpenters Local No. 751, retired
• Gary Storts, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Eureka City Schools
• Mike Manetas, Humboldt State University, Environmental Resources, (retired)
• John Driscoll, The Office of US Rep. Jared Huffman
• Donna Stoneman, Humboldt County Health Department
• Michael Welch, The Redwood Alliance
• Ross Nash, South Bay School Trustee, Humboldt Hill resident
• Holly Nash, Gil’s by the Bay employee, Humboldt Hill resident
• David Meserve, former Arcata City Council and Arcata Nuclear Free Zone member
• Supervisor Rex Bohn, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors
• Dr. Angus Stewart, King Salmon resident
• Jennifer Kalt, Executive Director, Humboldt Baykeeper