Nuclear power plant near Richland resumes operations

RICHLAND – The state’s only nuclear power plant has resumed generating electricity after suffering an unplanned shutdown on Monday.

Energy Northwest says the Columbia Generating Station reconnected to the Northwest power grid early Thursday morning and operators are slowly raising the power level to 100 percent.

Full power is expected this weekend.

The nuclear plant near Richland was shut down Monday afternoon when operators received a signal in the control room that an equipment cooling system showed low water volume. Energy Northwest says there was no threat to public health or safety.

It was the first so-called scram for the reactor since 2009.

Columbia Generating Station produces enough electricity to power a city the size of Seattle and is the third largest generator of electricity in Washington state.