Final Site Certification Agreement (SCA)
Summary
In 1976, the initial site certification agreement (SCA) authorized construction of the Satsop Nuclear Project (Washington Nuclear Power projects No. 3 and No.5, WNP 3/5).
Since then, there have been six amendments to the SCA. The most significant changes occurred in the 1990s with the first two amendments that converted the project into a gas turbine generation project and removed the nuclear power project elements.
We approved the most recent amendment in December 2020, which authorized installation of General Electric's Advanced Gas Path (AGP) package on the combustion turbines in Units 1 and 2. The AGP package was expected to increase the turbines' efficiency and output.
Description
In 1976, the initial site certification agreement (SCA) authorized construction of the Satsop Nuclear Project (Washington Nuclear Power projects No. 3 and No.5, WNP 3/5), which was never completed.
In 1996, our Council recommended approval of an amendment to the Satsop Nuclear Project SCA to allow for construction of a 450-megawatt (MW) gas turbine project. An amendment in 1999 removed the nuclear power projects from the SCA.
In April 2001, we again approved an SCA amendment to license the current 650 MW gas turbine project. Construction started on the combustion turbine project in September 2001 but stopped in September 2002 at approximately 56% completion.
In April 2005, we amended the SCA to reflect the sale of the project to Grays Harbor Energy, LLC, a subsidiary of Invenergy, Inc. Construction began again in February 2007 with commercial operation starting in April 2008.
On October 30, 2009, Grays Harbor Energy requested an amendment to the project SCA in order to incorporate a 650 MW increase in the facility's generating capacity (to a total maximum output of approximately 1,300 MW), a change of the facility's name to Grays Harbor Energy Center, and a 10-acre expansion of the site.
The most recent amendment came in August 18, 2020. Grays Harbor Energy requested two things. First, they requested authorization to install General Electric's Advanced Gas Path (AGP) package on the combustion turbines in Units 1 and 2. The certificate holder asserted that the upgrade would improve efficiency and output. Second, Grays Harbor Energy requested an extension until 2028 for the deadline to begin construction on Units 3 and 4. Our Council approved the first request and denied the second with resolution 348, dated December 15, 2020.
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