FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 3, 2003
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Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136 |
Gov. Locke Signs Landmark Nuclear Site Restoration Agreement
Gov. Gary
Locke today signed the final agreement officially terminating two unfinished
nuclear power plant sites at Hanford and
establishing a framework for restoring the sites by 2026.
“I am glad that we have finally resolved some longstanding issues and now have
a blueprint for restoring the sites of these unfinished projects,” Locke said.
“This agreement is good for the environment, good for energy consumers, good
for the energy business and benefits our entire state.”
Joining the governor at the signing ceremony were Steve Wright, administrator
for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA); Vic Parrish, chief executive
officer of Energy Northwest; Jim Luce, chair of the Energy Facility Site
Evaluation Council (EFSEC); and Len Barson, director of federal government
relations of the Nature Conservancy.
Under the agreement, BPA and Energy Northwest will assume responsibility for
immediately securing the health and safety of Hanford’s two unfinished reactor projects, Washington nuclear plants 1 and 4, and for Level
3D restoration at both sites. Level 3D will allow the main structures on each
site to be sealed and secured, and the rest of the area restored to its
original condition. The companies have agreed to have both sites restored by
2026.
“This agreement allows us to close this chapter in our history,” Parrish said.
“By removing any health and safety risks in the area, we can use the balance of
the infrastructure to build a foundation for the region's future resource
development.”
The agreement also calls for BPA and Energy Northwest to immediately pay $3.5
million to EFSEC for off-site mitigation. EFSEC intends to work with the
state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Nature Conservancy and other
environmental groups to find appropriate land for off-site mitigation.
“This is a momentous occasion,” Wright said. “Today we have answered the
question of how to deal with site restoration in a fiscally responsible way
that avoids rate impacts to our utility customers.”
In the 1970s, the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS), a consortium
of public utilities and local governments, in partnership with BPA and other
utilities, began construction of five nuclear power plants. Three of the plants
were located at Hanford and two in Grays Harbor County.
In the early 1980s, the WPPSS defaulted on some of their bonds and construction
stopped at all but one facility. At the time, it was the largest bond default
in U.S. history.
Today, the two unfinished reactor sites in Grays Harbor County are a thriving industrial and
technology center, and the completed reactor at Hanford, the Columbia Generating Station, is operating with one of
the best safety and reliability records in the nation.
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