Utilities Service Alliance Commends Energy Northwest for its outstanding performance in 2018

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jan. 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Utilities Service Alliance (USA) Member Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station successfully achieved its most productive year ever in 2018, setting a record for its 34-year history sending more than 9.7 million megawatt-hours of electricity to the grid.

“Columbia Generating Station continues to pursue its path toward nuclear excellence – and a byproduct of that is achieving significant goals like this,” said USA President and Chief Executive Officer John Christensen recently.  “Our member stations work day in and day out in an effort to deliver clean, carbon-free energy to the communities they serve – and with this year’s performance, Columbia Generating Station has set a standard for our other members to achieve.”

Not only has Columbia Generating Station demonstrated its energy production prowess, its team has rallied around the ability to generate electricity safely and at prices unheard of just ten years ago. 

Costs adjusted for inflation at the nuclear power station have dropped from 6.3 cents per kilowatt hour during Energy Northwest’s fiscal years in 2010-2011 to an estimated 4.2 cents in fiscal years 2018-2019.  This, compared with costs of 4.8 cents per kilowatt hour for the new advanced combined-cycle natural gas plants, according to statistics provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates prepared in 2018.

“USA’s mission over the past several years is “Simple, Cost-Effective Excellence.”  I think what you’re seeing is a Station that understands the competitive nature of the generation market, and has been digging in to keep nuclear power safe and affordable in the Northwest,” said John.

“USA’s Board of Directors and our fellow USA members join me in congratulating Chief Nuclear Officer Grover Hettel, Energy Northwest’s Chief Executive Officer Brad Sawatzke, and the team at Columbia Generating Station for their outstanding performance this year.”

Utilities Service Alliance (USA) is a not-for-profit cooperative designed to facilitate collaboration among its member utilities. Together, we work to reduce operating and maintenance costs, improve safety and performance, and provide innovation and leadership within the nuclear power industry. At USA, everything we are and everything we do is dedicated to “working together for mutual success.”