U.S. Nuclear Plants

Columbia Generating Station
Washington

Unit 2 General Electric Corporation
Capacity Net MW(e)	Generation in 2003 Megwatthours	Capacity Factor	Type	On-line Date	License Expiration Date
1,108	7,614,708	78.2 %	BWR	April 13, 1984	Dec. 20, 2023

BWR= Boiling Water Reactor

Description: The Columbia Generating Station covers 1,089 acres of Benton County.
Construction delays and cost over-runs for this reactor drew considerable public and media attention. Construction began in 1972, but more than a decade passed before it began generating power. With it’s troubled history behind it, however, the reactor has performed very well. Of the 5 commercial reactors originally planned for the State of Washington, this reactor was the only one completed. Designated WNP-2 by its original owners, Washington Nuclear Power System, its new owners changed the name.

Ownership: Energy Northwest is the owner and operator of the Columbia Generating Station.

The Impact of the Nuclear Industry on Washington:

News items:
Highlights
Nuclear-provided Electricity Generation
Competition in the State Electricity Market
Environmental Trends: Emissions levels
Various Links to related sites.

Sources: Capacity, for purposes of this report, is the net summer capability as reported in Energy Information Administration (EIA) survey form 860, "Annual Electric Generator Report." Capacity Factor is a calculation in which the maximum possible generation (based on net summer capability) is divided into the actual generation than multiplied by 100 to get a percentage. Generation is the electricity output reported by plant owners on EIA survey form 902. Type of Unit: All U.S. commercial reactors currently in operation are one of two types: BWR (boiling water reactor) or PWR (pressurized light water reactor). The type is identified in EIA's Nuclear Power Generation and Fuel Cycle Report. Both the On-line Date and the License Expiration Date are reported annually in Information Digest by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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