Southern California Edison (SCE) has directed San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), the operator of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), to retire units 2 and 3 of the nuclear generating station.

The SONGS is an inoperative nuclear power plant located on the Pacific coast of California, in the San Diego County.

The plant has three units, of which unit 1 operated till 1992.

SCE has also notified SDG to seek the approval to begin decommissioning activities for the entire nuclear plant.

San Diego Gas & Electric chairman and chief executive officer Jessie J Knight Jr said ever since the units of the nuclear plant went offline in early 2012, the utility started focusing on providing continued and reliable electricity to its customers.

"With the Sunrise Powerlink now in service and with additional contracted resources, barring any unforeseen system emergency, our region should have adequate power supplies for this summer," Knight Jr added.

SDG&E has a 20% ownership interest in SONGS and has also received 20% of the power generated from the plant.

As part of SCE’s decision, SDG&E made a Form 8K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.