Columbia Generating Station
Energy NorthwestBenton County
Overview
- Registry anchor
- Plant 371
- plant-371
Structured profile
- Technology
- Nuclear
- Operator
- Energy Northwest
Generation and physical site
EIA plant 371 · Inventory reporting month unavailable.
Reported operating nameplate by technology
- Nuclear
- 1,200 MW
Generator records (1)
| Generator | Technology | Status | Power (MW) | Energy (MWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Nuclear | Operating | 1,200 | Unknown |
Sources and observation dates
EIA source inventoryRelated assets
Similar plants ranked by technology, capacity, and distance.
Units and generators
Current generator records and technology attributes reported through EIA-860.
| Generator | Capacity | Technology | Operation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1,200 MW 1,151 MW summer | Nuclear ST | Dec 1984 | Operating |
Performance
Monthly EIA generation history and recent market-resource behavior where linked telemetry is available.
Peer context
- Technology capacity
- 1,200 MW
- Nuclear
- National rank
- #42
- of 54 operating peers
- WA rank
- #1
- of 1 operating peers
Monthly generation
Download CSVLatest 12 months
9.79 TWh
Reported net generation
Latest report
Aug 2026
EIA-923 monthly filing
2025 capacity factor
73.7%
Using current reported nameplate capacity
Grid and market context
Where the plant sits in BPAT: its market, pricing node, utility territory and the network around it, each with how it is known.
- Market
- BPAMarket member
- Pricing node
- ASHE_5_G01GNODE950 m
- Utility territory
- PUD No 1 Of Benton CountyService territory
Commercial, land, and environmental record
Source-backed project transactions, agreements, land records, permits, and environmental disclosures. Portfolio and adjacent-project facts remain explicitly scoped.
Transactions and agreements
Regulatory Application
Jan 1, 1971
WPPSS (Washington Public Power Supply System) filed an application with the state to construct and operate WNP-2.
Washington Public Power Supply System · State of Washington
Regulatory Approval
May 17, 1972
Governor Daniel J. Evans signed the original site certification agreement following hearings in 1971.
State of Washington · Washington Public Power Supply System
Regulatory Approval
Dec 20, 1983
The NRC issued the original 40-year operating license. Different sources report the operating license date variously as December 1983, March 1984, or April 13, 1984; the NRC facility record lists April 13, 1984.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission · Washington Public Power Supply System
Generation Start
May 1, 1984
The station first produced electricity.
Energy Northwest
Commercial Operation
Dec 13, 1984
Columbia Generating Station began commercial operation.
Energy Northwest
Contractual Agreement
May 1, 2006
Energy Northwest and BPA entered into a Direct Pay Agreement. BPA agreed to pay to Energy Northwest all costs for the operation of Columbia Generating Station and amounts sufficient to maintain reasonable working capital.
Energy Northwest · Bonneville Power Administration
Regulatory Application
Jan 20, 2010
Energy Northwest applied to the NRC for a 20-year license renewal.
Energy Northwest · Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Regulatory Approval
May 22, 2012
The NRC issued a renewed operating license for an additional 20 years, extending the license term to December 20, 2043.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission · Energy Northwest
Study
Jan 1, 2020
Energy Northwest began a feasibility study to evaluate the technical and financial viability of an extended power uprate.
Energy Northwest
Project Planning
Jul 1, 2023
Energy Northwest initiated the formal extended power uprate (EPU) study.
Energy Northwest · Bonneville Power Administration
Project Approval
Apr 1, 2025
The Energy Northwest Executive Board approved the business case for the extended power uprate project.
Energy Northwest
Project Approval
May 20, 2025
BPA approved implementation of the extended power uprate project. The approximately $700 million project will increase the station's electrical output by 162 MW by 2031, with additional energy-efficiency upgrades adding 24 MW for a total increase of 186 MW.
$700.0MBonneville Power Administration · Energy Northwest
Related parties and identifiers
Parties, market resources, and identifiers tied to this asset, with owner, operator, developer, EPC, compliance provider, and interconnecting entity roles kept separate.
Relationship graph
Drag organizations to explore the network. Select a node to pin its details and available page link.
AssetOwner / operatorOfftakerOrganization
Timeline and sources
Project milestones and public references behind the asset profile.
Project timeline
- State application filed for WNP-2efsec.wa.gov
WPPSS (Washington Public Power Supply System) filed an application with the state to construct and operate WNP-2.
- Site certification agreement signed