An alert declared by the U.S. Department of Energy on their Hanford Site at approximately 8:30 a.m. today does not affect the Columbia Generating Station commercial nuclear facility operated by Energy Northwest, an agency of Washington state. 
 
Columbia Generating Station is not associated with the federal government’s Hanford Site and Energy Department’s nuclear weapons-related environmental waste cleanup mission. The Hanford Site 200 East Area, the focus of the alert, is located about 12 miles from Columbia.
 
Columbia generates carbon-free electricity and is regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It is the third largest source of environmentally friendly electricity in Washington state, behind Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams.

About Energy Northwest
Energy Northwest develops, owns and operates a diverse mix of electricity generating resources, including hydro, solar and wind projects – and the Northwest’s only nuclear energy facility. These projects provide enough reliable, affordable and environmentally respon­sible energy to power more than a million homes each year, and that carbon-free electricity is provided at the cost of generation. As a Washington state, joint action agency, Energy Northwest comprises 27 public power member utilities from across the state serving more than 1.5 million ratepayers. The agency continually explores new generation projects to meet its members’ needs.