I have always been a bit iffy about this infamous landmark facility. I have travel up and down the 5 freeway numerous times ever since I was a boy, and has always been fascinated by the structure. Yes, during the childhood days... I always thought it was so cool just seeing it because it's so round! Of course during the teenage years, my perverted mind... along with some of my full of testosterone males buddies see's it as a female milk gland with a nice red blinking light on top... I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. And as the years passed, I started reading more about it and listening to the news about the incidents that happens around the facility. These buildings is home to a U.S. Nuclear Facility. Even though the reactor's concrete walls are suppose to be five feet thick, I wonder how safe the place really is. Dating back to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April of 1986, to the recent Japanese earthquake/tsunami disaster of Fukushima in March of 2011, there is too much risk involved in these facilities. Not to be political, I'm kind of glad that this nuclear generating station is presently closed because of a possible leak. Going back to it's landmark. This place brings back a lot of memories when we use to drive down to San Diego. It is located approximately thirty minutes north of the Camp Pendleton Marine Base. This facility is heavily guarded by security after 9-11. The area surrounding San Onofre is so beautiful! It's natural habitat has barely been developed, and it's virgin land consist of hills overseeing the coastal beaches with spectacular views. The beaches which are off limits would be ideal for surfers challenging the southern waves and it's a dream come true for a resortist. In all respect, this is a government facility. I just hope all the hazards are properly taken care of by the officials. No stars for it being a nuclear facility, but five stars for it's pristine land. So three stars to be fair! read more

San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant - San Onofre Nuclear Generator during sunset - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Clemente, California

It's CLOSED! I was one of the many activists who fought to shut down San O and couldn't be more stoked for our victory! Now we just have to wait 100 years or so until all the radiation is gone! The way I see it being closed is the best possible outcome for this place so they get full stars to honor the many lives this will be saving by being closed! read more

I grew up in Western NY around Niagara and Buffalo. Manufacturing thrived, thanks to cheap power from the Falls. At shift change, thousands of working men walked in, and thousands walked out. I dreamed of being one of those men some day, carrying my dinner bucket home after a hard day's work. Today all those plants are gone, along with the jobs, families, vendors, communities, and lives. Though the reasons are different, this power plant suffered the same fate. I have no doubt nuclear power is safe. And we need to use less Middle East oil. I guess San Onofre won't be around to see that happen. Very sad. read more

JUST SAY YES TO SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION! Unfortunately people are just ignorant of how nuclear power works and they believe whatever is said on the news. C'mon people...really...really? Why don't you look at the accident ridden coal plants where they actually give off hazardous gases on a daily basis, contributing to global warming and the deterioration of the ozone layer. uh, huh...yah I thought so. So I recommend people getting their facts straight before they make judgement. ie...this is NOT a boiler plant reactor. So it has nothing to do with Fukushimi. So thanks to that person (not going to name names) for putting up that boiling reactor picture. Good job for producing the wrong information....uh duh?!? Oh wait...I can copy paste "reputable" people too to talk about nuclear power, so here's my list... Charlie Sheen "Nuclear power is so cool." Jeff Spicolli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High "All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine from San Onofre." Homer Simpson "Doh" Snooki "?$#%@@$%^ nuclear power #$@4 %^#W" Jack Nicholson "You can't handle the truth....about nuclear power" So there you have it. Quotes from "reputable" people to disprove organizations that are against nuclear power production. Think about, this plant is probably helping you write this review with the precious electricity that it produces on a daily basis. read more

San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant - Pressurized water reactor process - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Clemente, California

Really good generated nuclear here. Probably the best in California. I'll be back for more.

Nuclear boobies! Yes, I'm sure many of you have checked in here numerous times when you passed by either on your way back to SD or up to OC/LA. If you've missed it all these years, shame on you (how can you miss those bright red flashing nipples during your evening drive?) read more

San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Clemente, California

Wow! I had an amazing family vacation at this luxurious hotel! I took my toddler swimming in the post-industrial style pool and she came out of the watet GLOWING from excitement and even an additional pair of arma and legs. She is now 7'2 and extremely fit, and getting offers from the WNBA at three! I am so proud of my little girl and we couldn't have done it without the amazing swim coach at this facility! 10/10 recommend! read more

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, or SONGS as I affectionately know it as and call it by, is a formerly active nuclear power plant that's been officially shut down since 2013 and in the process of being decommissioned. You get a pretty good view of Units 2 and 3 (aka the metal boobies) off the 5 freeway, but that's just the tip (excuse the unintended pun =p) of the entire power plant area. To see the rest, all you have to do is sign up for a free tour! Yes, free! Free public walking tours (sign up at songscommunity.com) are available on certain Wednesdays and Saturdays. It's a nice two hour outdoor tour of the facilities and you learn quite a bit of the SONGS history, how nuclear power works, and what the future holds for this place. I visited on a Saturday morning in April and toured the place with other interested people, mostly made up of people in the neighboring communities and from the military base nearby. Tours are led by extremely knowledgeable former and current SONGS personnel. Learned tidbits about on-site security (crazy cool testing days with former military trying to break in and security getting them with the laser tag guns), spent fuel storage, and steam generation. Also got a photo op in front of Units 2 and 3. You don't come across too many nuclear power plants anymore so this is a very unique trip. Take a tour before everything is dismantled by 2030. read more

I pass this nuclear reactor every time i head down to SD from the OC. 4 stars just because the Design Engineer/Architect had the sense of humor to build it to resemble DD breasts with nipples that look hard from the cold beach breeze. kudos to the engineer and or Architect. those nipples look hard enough for me to juice an orange with. just saying... read more

This palace is a lot of fun to visit if you work for the DOD they have a lot of tritium and do cool experiments with it.

It's how you know you're almost to San Diego from L.A. or how you're almost home after a day of consuming massive amounts of alcohol at the S.D. breweries (or coming back from Comic Con) To be honest, what more do you want to welcome you than two large domes that have little red tips at the end. Oh, I know what you're thinking... Get my mind out of the gutter. I'm sorry, but it's hard to picture anyone planning these buildings and not having anyone stopping them for a moment and pointing out the obvious in what their blue prints looked like. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that the first thing that raced into your mind was the thought of Bosom, breast. Boobies. Fun bags. Mammaries. You know them glands that secret the milk. Mammals got'em Anyhow - Call them what you will - this place calls it a Nuclear power plant. And even though it's currently not operational due to some glitches and leakage, I'm pretty sure these domes can still charge up something. But yes, concrete breast is what these look like and every time I've driven up past these in a half passed out manner, someone always points out them as that. You can't go up to them - You know, cause you can look but it's probably not so gentlemen like to touch. Besides, getting close to a power plant will generate the same thing as gawking at cleavage - a one way ticket to Gitmo. Either way. Look, no touchy. But hey, it's always nice to get welcomed back to L.A., even if it's not THAT close, when you're coming back from a trip to S.D. by the warm welcoming sight of those two concrete large domes. It's like you're in grabbing distance of home. read more

I went on the informational tour last week. It was great. I learned so much. Everyone in the area should schedule a tour and get informed!

The engineers totally knew what they were doing. #chesticles read more

San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant - Boobs! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Clemente, California

Back in the day, it was actually comforting to pass this landmark on the 5 South freeway. After a long road trip, once you saw the concrete "chee-chees", with blinking nipples, it meant that we were almost home. As kids, my siblings and I always referred to this monument as "Dolly Parton Land", followed by jokes about Dolly Parton. For example, how can you identify Dolly Partons' kids at the playground? They all have stretch marks around their mouths... Nowadays though, the San Onofre Nuclear Power Site scares the hell out of me. It has currently been taken offline due to unsafe operating conditions, complicated by leaking of radioactive material through internal steam tubes. The proximity of this ticking time bomb to San Diego makes this a subject that we need to pay very close attention to. In March 2011, an earthquake and tsunami caused a large radiation leak in Fukushima, Japan that required a massive evacuation. Japan will not know the extent of their damage for many years to come. Until then, the Japanese public has to get regular thyroid examinations, and geiger counter scans. Here in California, we have earthquakes all the time. In fact, the San Onofre nuclear reactor sits near four big faults, with the San Andreas Fault being the most obvious. Isn't it time to have an honest discussion about alternatives to nuclear energy while the plant is shut down? I would hate to have a meltdown in the future (even a small one) that would impact the lives of every person within a 500 mile radius. Unless you can GUARANTEE that this nuclear power plant is safe(you can't), let's go ahead and keep it offline permanently. read more

I am torn about my stars on this review. Yes I do get joy out of seeing these two very large dome shaped objects off the freeway with very large hats atop them but it is still a nuclear power plant. And don't get to close because I've been told if you exit the freeway and stand next to it to get a good picture you might get in a little bit of trouble because well....its nuclear waste and kind of a big deal security wise anyway. Just know that when you pass it on the freeway you are almost to San Diego...or Mexico...or somewhere that is the opposite direction of the OC and LA. read more

Not Sure how to review this, since Im going by the architecture of the building. To me it is a San Diego County Landmark. It makes me feel like Im almost near San Diego and I aways get excited when I pass by it, but I dont know why. Whoever designed its architecture was a genius, and I feel its just part of what makes San Diego so special. As for nuclear power, we need it, without we would be running off Coal or something, and yeah see how well your house or works runs off that. read more

We cannot escape radiation: it's in the air because of cell towers, phones, Wi-Fi you name it. However when San Diego has a major blackout, we will be wishing that san onofre was still actively online to provide us with some back up power. read more

Boobs! Of the nuclear variety! I always have a chuckle as I make my way to SD from LA. Good times.

Every time I drive by here, I think about the generating station exploding. This power plant needs to be decommissioned for our safety. If not, it could explode and cause a crisis. read more

I love me some San-O Tee-Tees... You know your home and it's an amazing site to see at night... and it keeps the lights on.

The only reason I did not give this facility a 5 star rating is because Southern California Edison has decided to take it off line indefently. I think that nuclear power is our future and the only way we have right now to break away from OPEC and the like is to rid ourselves of foreign oil dependency. Really people, get with the 21st century! We all have our nice clean cars and power plants that run & burn on a resource that can never be replaced (petrochemical oil---once you burn it, it's gone forever). There should be a ban on burning oil in this country and only use petrochemical oil as a renewable resource only (plastics, fertilizers, paper processing,the list can go on & on) for recycled uses exclusively. OK, enough on the oil bandwagon, let's focus on San Onofre nuclear power plant. This power plant has operated for over 40 years with almost a perfect record of safety. Birds migrated there and where perfectly safe to perch on top of the reactor concrete outer housings for warmth on cold days. Fish and aquatic life flourished around the reactor as it helped to warm and promote sea life. Years of testing and no contamination has been reported to surrounding wildlife. It's one of the safest areas known in California and has the same (if not less) background radiation readings then most major airports in the US. So why all the commotion? Simply because for the first time in almost a half century a miniscule amount of steam that may have had a small amount of radiation in it leaked out. Sounds scarey but the fact is no one got hurt, no permanent contamination is detected and you probably received more radiation exposure on your last flight to New York then anyone ever received from the San Onofre nulcear plant. OK, to all you 'Greenies' out there-listen up: When we've polluted the crap out of the air with oil burning, gas prices go over $10 a gallon and we've wasted the precious natural resource of oil for non-renewal purposes, 'me think you'll be sorry'!!!! read more