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Columbia Generating Station Information
January 22, 2007
News Release 07-01
Brad Peck, Corporate Communications
(509) 377-8247
RICHLAND, Wash. – Fifty years ago public power officials gathered in Olympia to witness establishment of the state’s first joint operating agency. The date was January 31, 1957. That first JOA, the Washington Public Power Supply System and more recently known as Energy Northwest, celebrates its golden anniversary this month.
The occasion will be formally recognized at board meetings in Richland on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Board members representing Energy Northwest’s 20 public power members will be on hand to mark the occasion with historical displays and mementos.
The anniversary year will also be recognized with a barbeque for Energy Northwest employees in September.
Today Energy Northwest owns and operates facilities producing more than 1,300 megawatts of power, employs more than 1,100 local residents and delivers more than $200M in economic impact to the local economy.
Energy Northwest employees also provide extensive support to three local service organizations; Benton-Franklin Head Start, United Way and the March of Dimes.
The newly formed JOA’s first development was the Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project, in Lewis County. It came on-line in 1964 officially putting the agency in the power generation business. More than 40 years later it still churns out clean, reliable energy. Efforts are underway now to renew its operating license.
The Hanford Generating Project was Energy Northwest’s second triumph. It purchased steam from the adjacent Department of Energy “N” reactor to drive electric generators for 20 years before closing down in 1986. The promise of HGP and nuclear power was heralded by President John F. Kennedy who broke ground for the facility on September 26, 1963.
On August 14, 1972, utility and government officials joined a large and enthusiastic crowd on the east side of the Hanford Reservation to celebrate groundbreaking for Columbia Generating
Station, then known as WNP-2. Performance of the nuclear power plant improved over the years with Columbia setting a longest run record of 486 continuous days on-line, ending in October 2006. Energy Northwest expects the plant to continue providing safe, reliable power for many years to come.
Columbia Generating Station will shut down for about five weeks beginning in May for scheduled maintenance, equipment upgrades and replacing approximately one-third of the fuel in the reactor core. The upgrades will significantly improve reliability by eliminating or replacing systems and hardware that have taken the facility off-line in past years.
Few organizations survive 50 years without taking some hard knocks. That experience came with the effort to simultaneously construct five nuclear power plants in the1970’s and 80’s. Overcoming that rocky start, proving the value of nuclear power, and returning to developing additional power projects took nearly 20 years.
With growing interest in renewable energy, construction began on the Nine Canyon Wind Project in February 2002. A second phase was added a year later. Overlooking its namesake canyon just south of Kennewick, the project currently produces up to 64 megawatts of power. A third and likely final phase is due to begin construction later this year.
A second renewable energy program came to Energy Northwest in 2002. The White Bluffs solar project was dedicated in May of that year and continues to quietly convert solar energy into usable electricity amid sand and tumbleweeds adjacent to Columbia Generating Station.
Leading Energy Northwest power generation efforts in 2007 is the Pacific Mountain Energy Center. Permitting for the 600-megawatt power facility should wrap up late this year with construction in Kalama, Washington, running from 2008-2012.
Meanwhile development efforts continue on a 50-megawatt wind project west of Spokane near Reardan, Washington, as well as other promising locations in the region.
Energy Northwest CEO Vic Parrish is optimistic about the JOA’s future. “Like any successful organization, quality people make all the difference. We are fortunate to live in such a supportive, growing, technology-minded community. Our ability to attract some of the finest people in our industry is clearly enhanced by our location and community support. We’re looking forward to the next 50 years of providing electric power to the region “at the cost of production.”