An initial inspection of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station after a radioactive leak from a steam generator found that federal regulators should continue to monitor the situation, according to a Feb. 16 letter from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regional administrator. “Since this is a steam generator tube leak, from a newly installed steam generator after one year of power operation, and the infrequency of such events in the industry” federal regulators advised oversight for the power plant owners’ response, as well as ensuring the “integrity” of the steam generator tubes. The investigation found that there was no “major deficiency in design.” It also noted that the plant’s operator, Southern California Edison, performed as it should. The Unit 3 steam generator was put online barely one year ago. Both operating units at San Onofre received recent steam generator replacements at a cost of $670 million. The Jan. 31, 82 gallon/day leak led to a manual shut down of the plant’s Unit 3. While the water was radioactive, the NRC determined it “would not result in any potential exposures to the public.” Along with federal regulators, the California Public Utilities Commission is looking into the rapid degradation of the facility’s new steam generators.