RICHLAND, Wash. – Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station is back on line, producing power for the Northwest following a 35-day refueling and maintenance outage. Outage Manager Ron Hogue officially transferred the plant back to the operations staff at about midnight Friday. The outage was completed within the scheduled 35 day timeframe.
Columbia officials described the outage as one of the most successful in the plant’s 20-plus year history, noting a broad scope of work that included major maintenance on the plant’s high pressure turbine. Plant General Manager Tom Lynch noted that thousands of parts were inspected, repaired or replaced during the outage, and that it is common to do some minor adjusting when the plant comes back on line.
Columbia Generating Station completes a refueling outage every other year, replacing approximately one-third of the uranium fuel each time, to keep the plant running at maximum efficiency. Approximately 1,200 contract workers joined the full-time Energy Northwest staff to complete the required work.
Hogue and Lynch are confident Columbia Generating Station is in excellent condition coming out of the outage. “We’re all pleased to have the plant back on line producing safe, reliable power for the region, especially this year with low water levels and the drought,” noted Lynch.
Andy Rapacz, manager of contract generating resources for Bonneville Power Administration, said his agency is “thrilled to have the plant back on line. The need for the power is high.”
BPA offered its congratulations in a prepared statement: “Congratulations to Energy Northwest for a successful and safe refueling outage. R-17 was well organized, well executed and conducted within budget. Bonneville and the region appreciate the timely return of the plant to an operational status as it is key to the energy supply in the Northwest in this low water year. We look forward to a long reliable operating cycle. Well Done!”
Columbia Generating Station has been in commercial operation since 1984. At full power, it produces approximately 1,157 megawatts, enough to power half a million homes.