
Tri-Cities Nuclear Reactor Columbia Generating Station Shuts Down In Unplanned Event
Listen
The Northwest’s only commercial nuclear reactor went offline Friday morning in an unplanned event. The Columbia Generating Station went offline around 7 a.m. when its main power transformers automatically disconnected from the grid.
The reactor, located about 10 miles north of Richland, was safely shut down and the cause of the disconnect is under investigation, plant officials said.
In the last two years, the generating station has had three unplanned shutdowns—called scrams—including the one this week.
According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Columbia Generating Station requires increased oversight by their agency because it has had several safety issues. They include the previous scrams, and a mislabeling of a shipment of low-level radioactive waste last summer.
Officials stress that the plant does not pose a danger to human health or safety right now.
The Columbia Generating Station is owned and operated by Energy Northwest. It’s the third largest generator of electricity in Washington state. All of its electricity is sold at-cost to the Bonneville Power Administration.
Related Stories:

Federal Government Could Keep Three Mile Island Radioactive Waste In Idaho For 20 More Years
The partially melted reactor core from the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history could remain in Idaho for another 20 years if regulators finalize a license extension sought by the U.S. Energy Department, officials said Monday. Continue Reading Federal Government Could Keep Three Mile Island Radioactive Waste In Idaho For 20 More Years

Radioactive Waste Shipped From Idaho To New Mexico For Permanent Storage
Radioactive waste shipped to Idaho during the Cold War has been compacted and sent out of state for permanent disposal, officials said Wednesday. Continue Reading Radioactive Waste Shipped From Idaho To New Mexico For Permanent Storage

As Nuclear Waste Piles Up, Private Companies Pitch New Ways To Store It
As nuclear and radioactive waste piles up, private companies are stepping in with their own solutions for the nation’s radioactive spent fuel. One is proposing a temporary storage site in New Mexico, and another is seeking a license for a site in Texas. But most experts agree that what’s needed is a permanent site, like Yucca Mountain, that doesn’t require humans to manage it. Continue Reading As Nuclear Waste Piles Up, Private Companies Pitch New Ways To Store It