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Energy Northwest outlines 12.5% extended power upgrade for Columbia Generating Station, cites 2031 target
Summary
Energy Northwest told the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council that a planned extended power upgrade (about 12.5% net increase) at Columbia Generating Station would raise output to roughly 1,380 MW and come online after work scheduled across refueling outages, with a target commissioning in June 2031 and a federal licensing package planned for 2028.
Rick Garcia, licensing supervisor at Energy Northwest, briefed the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council on July 15 on plans to increase Columbia Generating Station’s licensed power through an extended power upgrade (EPU) of roughly 12.5%. Garcia said the change would raise the plant’s electric output to about 1,380 megawatts, up from roughly 1,200 MW today, and that Energy Northwest expects the extra megawatts to be available after the 2031 refueling outage and associated commissioning work.
The presentation explained that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission classifies power‑up actions by percentage: measurement‑uncertainty recaptures (under 2%), stretch power up rates (2–7%), and extended power up rates (greater than 7%). “For us, we’re looking at about a 12 and 0.5 percent net, which does land us in that bigger category of extended power up rate,” Garcia said. He described the EPU as a multiyear program of dozens of subprojects (pumps, condensate filtration, generator work, and other balance‑of‑plant modifications) that will be staged across three refueling outages with progressive work in 2027, 2029 and a final implementation in 2031.
Garcia emphasized that most changes are internal to plant buildings and systems rather than wholesale changes to reactor technology. “Conceptually, we’re not changing the underlying technology or how the reactor is operated,” he said. The project will include generator upsizing and other equipment replacements; some water‑system and cooling‑system elements such as cooling towers and standby service water ponds are likely to have the most notable environmental interfaces.
On water use, Energy Northwest shared preliminary estimates that river makeup flow to support cooling could rise from about 15,000 gallons per minute to roughly 17,000 gpm under higher operating conditions. Garcia said staff are already coordinating with the Department of Ecology and that the anticipated wastewater and blowdown increases are expected to remain within the existing NPDES permit limits; Energy Northwest plans to engage Ecology and other state agencies at the agency level to address cumulative water needs across its portfolio.
On schedule and regulatory sequencing, Garcia said the project team plans to submit a formal license amendment request (LAR) to the NRC around July 2028. After an acceptance review, the NRC typically initiates a roughly 12‑month detailed review that includes audits, requests for additional information, and a public comment period. Garcia said Energy Northwest expects FSEC’s state consultation to precede final federal approval so the NRC can document state consultation in its safety evaluation report. “We would like FSEC’s approval sequence to occur before the final federal approval,” he said.
Council members asked about the magnitude of the physical changes, transmission and interconnection implications, tribal consultation and opportunities for council site visits during refueling outages. Garcia and staff said the interconnection effort is proceeding with Bonneville Power Administration, including cluster studies and potential restudies; Energy Northwest noted the advantage of being an existing generating unit rather than adding a new source of generation. On tribal consultation, Energy Northwest and BPA said they are conducting outreach and that some initial socialization of the concept with tribal representatives has already occurred.
The council did not take a formal action on the EPU at the July 15 meeting; staff and Energy Northwest indicated they will return with more technical detail and regulatory milestones as design and review progress.
The next procedural milestones Energy Northwest cited were submission of the NRC package in mid‑2028, continued design across multiple outages, and a planned in‑service date for the additional capacity at the conclusion of the 2031 refueling outage.
