Nuclear plant of Columbia

The nuclear plant of Columbia is located on the Site of Hanford at 19 km at the North-West of Richland in the county of Benton of the State of Washington of the the United States. The " site of Hanford" occupy a ground of 4,4 km ² and it belongs to the Département of the Energy of the United States.

Description

The power station is equipped with an ebullient water reactor (REB) built by General Electric (standard 5):
  • Columbia : 1250 MWe, brought into service in 1984 per 40 years (2023).
This engine includes/understands a building engine and six turns of cooling low height in which the cooling water coming from the Rivière Columbia circulates. It received in 1999 a new turbine of supply Westinghouse which enabled him to increase its production up to 1250 MWe.

History of construction

This power station belongs to Energy Northwest, a consortium of electric services of the north-western coast of the Pacific. It is also the operating one. The first name of the consortium " Energy Northwest" was " Public Washington Power Supply (WPPSS) System" , which was deformed in " WHOOPS" when " WPPSS" was made responsible for the greatest incident of municipal network of the history to the States-Unis.
The times of construction and the goings beyond of costs for this engine also led to a mistrust of the public and media. Construction began in 1972 but it was necessary to wait more than 10 years before seeing the beginning of the production électrique.
It is in year 2000 that " WPPSS" its name changed into " Energy Northwest". A little later the name the power station changed, initially WNP-2 (Washington Nuclear Power links number 2), to become Columbia Generating Station to make forget the past. Whereas five engines had been initially planned for the State of Washington, this one is the only one which was construit.
In spite of its difficult past, this engine functions well and it produces 9% of the electrical production of the State of Washington. It is the only commercial nuclear reactor on the north-western coast of the Pacific, its counterpart nearest being that to Diablo Canyon in the south of the California.

External bonds

  • (in) Official site of the power station of Columbia
  • (in) DoE Page of the American Administration on Columbia

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