RICHLAND, Wash. – Energy Northwest operators took action to safely remove Columbia from the grid to examine equipment essential to plant operations. Operators are investigating the performance of reactor recirculation pumps, which support normal plant operation by circulating water through the reactor core.
Operators initiated a controlled, manual shutdown at 2:49 a.m. The station is in a safe, stable condition.
“Safety is always our top priority, and our team took conservative steps consistent with our commitment to protecting the plant and the public. While an unplanned outage is not our desired operating state, this response reflects our dedication to being a reliable and top-performing energy provider for the region,” said Dawn Sileo, executive vice president and chief nuclear officer.
Technical staff are investigating the cause of the pump issue. The station will return to service only after the cause is understood and sound operational decisions are made. An estimated return‑to‑power date is not available at this time.
Columbia Generating Station is a 1,207‑megawatt electric (gross) nuclear power plant located 20 miles north of Richland. The plant had been online for 227 days since returning to service following its last planned refueling outage in May 2025. Columbia has not experienced an unplanned outage since 2017.
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Media Contacts
Kelly Rae, Energy Northwest
klrae@energy-northwest.com
509-554-1085
Angela Smith, Energy Northwest
adsmith@energy-northwest.com
509-528-3980
About Energy Northwest
Energy Northwest is a Washington state public power joint operating agency and a premier provider of carbon-free electricity. Energy Northwest comprises 29 public power member utilities, serving more than 1.5 million customers, and provides its members and regional customers with safe, reliable, cost-effective, responsible power generation and innovative energy and business solutions. The agency owns and operates hydroelectric, solar, battery storage, wind and the Northwest’s only nuclear power facility. Energy Northwest also actively supports transportation electrification and new generation projects to the benefit of public power.