Columbia Generating Station

The only commercial nuclear power plant in the Pacific Northwest, located in Washington state and operated by Energy Northwest

Environment and Climate

Unplanned Shutdown at Columbia Generating Station Raises Reliability, Energy Security Questions

Columbia Generating Station—the Northwest’s sole nuclear reactor—underwent an unplanned manual shutdown early Feb. 12 after both reactor recirculation pumps failed. Though now stable, the outage raises questions about aging infrastructure, energy reliability, and grid resilience as repairs proceed.

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Feb 13, 2026

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The Conversation Is Now Open Feb 13
2
Guilty Plea in U.S. Assassination Plot Raises Concerns About Foreign Political Intimidation — Including in Small Communities Feb 13
3
HB 2531 Advances Through Washington Legislature, Aiming to Update Medicaid Reimbursement for Ambulance Services Feb 13
4
Federal Way leadership dispute highlights growing tensions over official use of social media Feb 13
5
WDFW Approves One‑Day Smelt Dip on Cowlitz River for Feb. 18 Feb 13
6
Clark County Judge Confronts Public Defense Shortage, Weighs Case Dismissals Feb 13

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The Conversation Is Now Open Feb 13
WDFW Approves One‑Day Smelt Dip on Cowlitz River for Feb. 18 Feb 13
Clark County Judge Confronts Public Defense Shortage, Weighs Case Dismissals Feb 13
Federal Way leadership dispute highlights growing tensions over official use of social media Feb 13
HB 2531 Advances Through Washington Legislature, Aiming to Update Medicaid Reimbursement for Ambulance Services Feb 13
Guilty Plea in U.S. Assassination Plot Raises Concerns About Foreign Political Intimidation — Including in Small Communities Feb 13

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Columbia Generating Station

Unplanned Shutdown at Columbia Generating Station Raises Reliability, Energy Security Questions

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