The Columbia Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power station, is a General Electric boiling water reactor located 12 miles (19 km) NW of Richland, Washington. It's site covers 1,089 acres (4.4 km²) of Benton County, Washington. The NRC, or Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is a United States government agency that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act in 1974, and was first opened January 19, 1975. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th)  - Land 294,312 km²  - Water 942 km² (0. ... The Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, located in Wintersburg, Arizona, about 50 miles (80 km) west of central Phoenix, is currently the largest nuclear generation facility in the United States, producing over 30,000 gigawatts of electricity anually to serve approximately 4 million people. ... State nickname: The Natural State Other U.S. States Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Governor Mike Huckabee Official languages English Area 137,732 km² (29th)  - Land 134,856 km²  - Water 2,876 km² (2. ... Arkansas Nuclear One is a two unit pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant located in Russellville, Arkansas. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... The Diablo Canyon Power Plant has two Westinghouse-designed 4-Loop pressurized-water nuclear reactors operated by Pacific Gas & Electric. ... 33° 22′ 7. ... Vallecitos Nuclear Center (Pleasanton, California) Owner: Pacific Gas and Electric Co. ... State nickname: The Sunflower State Other U.S. States Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Governor Kathleen Sebelius Official languages None Area 82,277 mi²; 213,096 km² (15th)  - Land 81,815 mi²; 211,900 km²  - Water 462 mi²; 1,196 km² (0. ... Located in Burlington, Kansas, the site occupies 9,818 acres (40 km²) of the total 11,800 acres (48 km²) controlled by the owner. ... State nickname: Pelican State Other U.S. States Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans Governor Kathleen Blanco Official languages None; English and French de facto Area 134,382 km² (31st)  - Land 112,927 km²  - Water 21,455 km² (16%) Population (2000)  - Population 4,468,976 (22nd)  - Density 39. ... River Bend nuclear power station is a General Electric boiling water reactor on a 3,300 acre (13 km²) site in St. ... The Waterford plant is on a 3,000 acre (12 km²) site near Taft, Louisiana, in St. ... State nickname: Magnolia State Other U.S. States Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Governor Haley Barbour Official languages English Area 125,546 km² (32nd)  - Land 121,606 km²  - Water 3,940 km² (3%) Population (2000)  - Population 2,697,243 (31st)  - Density 23. ... Grand Gulf nuclear power station is a General Electric boiling water reactor. ... Missouri, named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe meaning canoe, is a Midwestern state of the United States with Jefferson City as its capital. ... This nuclear power plant is located on a 5,228 acre (21 km²) site in Callaway County, Missouri, near Fulton, Missouri. ... State nickname: Cornhusker State Other U.S. States Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Governor Dave Heineman Official languages English Area 200,520 km² (16th)  - Land 199,099 km²  - Water 1,247 km² (0. ... Cooper Nuclear Station occupies a 1,251 acre (5. ... The Fort Calhoun Station is located on 660 acres (2. ... State nickname: The Mount Rushmore State Other U.S. States Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Governor Mike Rounds Official languages English Area 199,905 km² (17th)  - Land 196,735 km²  - Water 3,173 km² (1. ... Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Net Output: 59 MWe Decommissioned. ... State nickname: Lone Star State Other U.S. States Capital Austin Largest city Houston Governor Rick Perry Official languages None. ... The Comanche Peak power plant is located in Somervell County, Texas. ... SOUTH TEXAS 1 Utility: Houston Lighting and Power Company Reactor supplier: [[Westinghouse]] Steam generators: Westinghouse Architecture: Bechtel Corp. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th)  - Land 172,587 km²  - Water 12,237 km² (6. ... A nuclear power plant (NPP) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. ... The General Electric Company, or GE, (NYSE: GE) is a multinational technology and services company. ... A boiling water reactor (BWR) is a light water reactor design used in some nuclear power stations. ... Benton County is a county located in the south central of the state of Washington. ...

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 (Energy NorthWest) changed the name.

External Links

• DoE Page (http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/reactors/columbia.html)
• Maps and aerial photos (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=46.46970161284371_N_-119.3224477226751_E_type:landmark_region:US)
  • Street map from Mapquest (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=46.46970161284371&longitude=-119.3224477226751&zoom=8) or Google (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=46.46970161284371,-119.3224477226751&spn=0.015,0.025)
  • Topographic map from Topozone (http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=46.46970161284371&lon=-119.3224477226751&s=24&size=m&datum=nad83)
  • Aerial photograph from Terraserver (http://terraservice.net/image.aspx?s=11&lon=-119.3224477226751&lat=46.46970161284371&w=2) or Google (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=46.46970161284371,-119.3224477226751&spn=0.015,0.025&t=k)
  • Closeup aerial from Terraserver (http://terraservice.net/image.aspx?t=4&s=10&lon=-119.3224477226751&lat=46.46970161284371&w=2) or Google (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=46.46970161284371,-119.3224477226751&spn=0.005,0.007&t=k)