Commission extends nuclear plant license
Operation near Richland approved through 2043
YAKIMA – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the license for the Northwest’s only commercial nuclear power plant by an additional 20 years, the plant’s operator announced Wednesday.
The license extends operations at south-central Washington’s Columbia Generating Station through 2043. The plant had been operating on a 40-year license that expires at the end of 2023.
The plant is operated by Energy Northwest, a public power consortium composed of 28 member utilities.
Commission officials and Energy Northwest CEO Mark Reddemann attended a small signing ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon, Energy Northwest said in a statement. An on-site announcement was scheduled for today at the plant north of Richland.
The 1,150-megawatt plant provides about 3 percent of the region’s power – roughly enough electricity for 1 million homes – and 10 percent of the power supply for the state.
Energy Northwest began pursuing license renewal in 2007. A formal application of more than 2,200 pages was submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in January 2010. The renewal follows a lengthy review process that required the plant to demonstrate that it meets technical, safety and environmental requirements through the additional 20 years of operation.