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Energy Northwest reports two plant-service-water incidents at Columbia Generating Station; council told no apparent threat to public health
Summary
Energy Northwest told the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council that a Sept. 10 compressor-fluid leak (no more than 30 gallons) and a Sept. 18 lubricating-oil release likely entered plant service water that discharges to the Columbia River; Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard were notified and Energy Northwest said there appears to be no threat to human health or the environment.
Energy Northwest representatives told the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council on Sept. 18, 2024, that two noncompliance incidents involving plant service water (TSW) may have resulted in small discharges to systems that can flow to the Columbia River. Council and staff were briefed on the Sept. 10 event—a leak of up to 30 gallons of silicone compressor fluid—and a separate lubricating-oil release identified Sept. 18.
Dennis Mechnagic, speaking for Energy Northwest, said the Sept. 10 incident involved a service air compressor heat exchanger that, after being removed from service for other reasons, tested positive for a leak that could allow silicone compressor fluid (Solaire 24KT) to migrate into TSW. The heat exchanger was isolated, replaced and tested. Energy Northwest opened corrective-action work (condition report no. 461715) and submitted a five-day noncompliance report to FSEC on Sept. 12, 2024, and notified the U.S. Coast Guard and the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Mechnagic said the Sept. 18 event involved a failed heat exchanger on the reactor feed-water turbine that likely allowed lubricating oil into plant service water. Staff secured the blowdown line to the circulating water basin at 07:39 a.m. the same morning. A visual inspection of the basin did not reveal an oil sheen, but a downstream sample produced an oily sheen in the sample bottle. Mechnagic stated that it does not appear the oil release "poses a threat to human health or the environment," and Energy Northwest planned to submit a tied five-day report by close of business the following Monday.
Amy Moon (FSEC staff) said Ecology staff were in the field at the Columbia Generating Station to gather information and assess the situation. Council member Lenny Young asked whether the Sept. 10 and Sept. 18 events were the second and third such incidents in the past year and whether the pattern pointed to aging equipment or inspection gaps. Mechnagic said Energy Northwest is evaluating all heat exchangers cooled by plant service water and had convened engineering reviews; staff will share findings at future council meetings.
The council and staff emphasized continued coordination with Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard and Energy Northwest while Energy Northwest completes investigations and required reporting. FSEC will monitor follow-up reports and any corrective actions arising from the condition report and the planned evaluations.
What the council recorded - Condition report: Energy Northwest corrective-action number 461715 tied to the Sept. 10 event. - Reporting: Energy Northwest submitted the five-day NPDES noncompliance report for the Sept. 10 event on Sept. 12 and planned to submit a five-day report for the Sept. 18 event by the next business day. - Containment: The Sept. 10 heat exchanger was replaced; the Sept. 18 event’s blowdown line was secured at 07:39 a.m. on Sept. 18.
Next steps FSEC will continue to coordinate with Energy Northwest and Ecology and expects additional information from Energy Northwest’s evaluation of heat exchangers cooled by plant service water.
