Energy Northwest leaders and board members officially dedicated the Morrison Energy Center during a ribbon cutting ceremony July 29. The building at 345 Hills St. in Richland was officially renamed to honor longtime board chair and public power advocate Sid Morrison in October 2020. Morrison retired as board chair at the end of June after 20 years of service to EN.
Formerly known as the Capital Development Corporation Building, the Morrison Energy Center (MEC) is now home to EN's Energy Services & Development team. The center will serve as a hub for EN's partnership with X-energy and TerraPower-GE Hitachi for the development of advanced nuclear reactors.
“This new name is significant because it honors a man who has always cast a compelling vision for Energy Northwest, and this building will be the center of the future of advanced nuclear development for the country as well as all of our projects and services that will help us power the clean energy future of the Northwest," said Greg Cullen, vice president for Energy Services & Development.
Participants in the building dedication included Kevin Nordt, CEO of Grant PUD, and Darren Gale, vice president for Commercial Operations for X-energy. Grant PUD and X-energy formed the TRi Energy Partnership along with EN in April.
In addition to a tribute to Morrison's long career in public service, the MEC includes a display devoted to advanced reactors, with a model of the X-energy reactor planned for development near Columbia Generating Station. It also has a turbine blade from the Hanford Generating Project, EN's first nuclear generating project. The turbine blade and reactor model were donated by members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 598.
Morrison was notified of the honor in October, and received the news with his characteristic humility.
“Let's all just keep working together," Morrison said. “We'll make this building change the world — even if we can't think of a good name for it."
Above: Retired Energy Northwest Executive Board Chair Sid Morrison (center) cuts the ribbon in the lobby of the Morrison Energy Center (MEC). Holding the ribbon (from left) are Grover Hettel, Energy Northwest chief nuclear officer and interim CEO; Kevin Nordt, Grant PUD CEO; Greg Cullen, Energy Northwest vice president for Energy Services & Development; and Darren Gale, vice president for Commercial Operations for X-energy.
