- San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant's "disability" exposed critical flaws. After $670M steam generator replacements in 2010-11, premature tube wear hit over 3,000 spots by Jan 2012—triggering a radioactive leak & full shutdown. Units 2/3 never restarted safely. Permanently closed in 2013, now decommissioning. A cautionary tale of hubris in nuclear upgrades near fault lines & millions of Californians. Reliability over hype!