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Archived News
Columbia Generating Station Information
July 31, 2006
News Release 06-12
Brad Peck, Corporate Communications
(509) 377-8247
RICHLAND, Wash. – Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant is in the longest continuous operation run in the 22-year history of the plant, officially eclipsing the old record of 393 days at 4:03 p.m. yesterday. The current record setting run began July 2, 2005.
Reliability of the 1,157 megawatt power plant has improved dramatically since it began operations in December 1984. Statistics show generation runs in the 1980s rarely exceeded 100 continuous days, but managed to top 200 continuous days eight times in the 1990s. The first 300-plus day run came in 2003 and the current run is the third to exceed 365 days of continuous operation since February 2003.
Vic Parrish, CEO of the public power agency, credits the plant’s success to outstanding people and responsible equipment investments. “Our mission is safe, affordable, reliable power for Northwest ratepayers. Safety has always been at the forefront of our operations, but you can’t achieve affordability and reliability without superb people operating and maintaining the plant, hands-on, day and night, non-stop. The region has reason to be proud of today’s Energy Northwest team.”
Parrish said the public power agency’s next big challenge will be investment in key systems to insure continued plant reliability. He noted that anything less would be shortsighted given the value of Columbia’s power exceeding $1 million a day. “We’ve worked hard to improve our operations and maintenance performance in the last few years. Now we need to replace some of the older systems responsible for many of our operating challenges. The condenser equipment that converts steam from the reactor back into water, and an electro-hydraulic controller system that regulates turbine speeds are two areas particularly in need of replacement.”
Officials at the plant say eclipsing the previous longest run record has not affected operations at the plant, where officials say operators remain focused on safe operations. Tom Lynch, plant general manager said, “The current record run is gratifying, but we fully understand the importance of keeping our eye on the ball. We’re headed into the low water season for the Columbia River system, which happens to correspond with the high temperature, heavy air-conditioning season. We want to keep the plant on-line producing affordable, at-cost power. Our motivation is more than just professional pride; every member of our Columbia team is also a ratepayer so we also have personal interest in ensuring Columbia is as reliable and cost-effective as possible.”
The next scheduled plant shutdown is slated for May 2007 for an every-other-year refueling outage. About one-third of the plant’s uranium fuel rods will be replaced before bringing the plant back on-line for another two year operating cycle.
All of Columbia’s power is delivered at the cost-of-production to the Bonneville Power Administration which sells it throughout the region, including other western states.
Energy Northwest is headquartered in Richland, Wash. A joint operating agency (JOA) formed under Washington law, the organization serves the needs of 19 member utilities in Washington. The JOA operates several power generating facilities including the 1,157 megawatt Columbia Generating Station – the only commercial nuclear power plant in the Northwest; the 27 megawatt Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project; the 64 megawatt Nine Canyon Wind Project south of Kennewick, Wash.; and the White Bluffs Solar Station – the largest publicly owned solar power facility in the Northwest.
Expansion plans for the Energy Northwest fleet of power plants includes three major projects: a 600 megawatt Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plant dubbed the Pacific Mountain Energy Center, near Kalama, Wash.; a 50 megawatt wind power project approximately 25 miles west of Spokane, Wash.; and a third phase addition to the 64 megawatt Nine Canyon Wind Project south of Kennewick, Wash.
More information on Energy Northwest is available at www.energy-northwest.com