UTILITY POWER PLANT SHUTS DOWN Saturday, December 9, 2000 compiled by Columbian staff

Clark Public Utilities' $160 million River Road Generating Plant failed Thursday night, just as the region prepares for a cold snap.

The breakdown occurred hours before Gov. Gary Locke on Friday asked citizens across the state to conserve energy while regional power coordinators prepared to take emergency steps to meet demand.

Technicians shut down the gas-fired turbine about midnight after a leak developed near the plant's steam turbine, spraying steam and oil, said Mick Shutt, Clark spokesman.

Repairs are expected to take 10 to 12 days, a period that includes several days for the equipment to cool to the point that work can begin.

Unless the region develops extraordinary power problems during the expected onset of low temperatures, Clark customers won't notice any change from the norm. Clark has a power storage agreement with PacifiCorp that seamlessly fills the gaps when the plant is shut down.

"From a power supply standpoint, we're fine," said Shutt, who nevertheless recommended that customers follow Locke's advice and minimize electricity usage.

The plant produces 248 megawatts of electricity, about half the average amount consumed by Clark's 150,000-plus customers. In normal power situations, the loss of the plant is immaterial to the regional power situation. With shortages looming, the missing megawatts have a more significant effect.

The utility group that has watched the power crunch advised plant operators throughout the region to operate generation equipment at full tilt. "They had asked that utilities not touch their equipment if it wasn't broken, don't fix it," said Shutt.

http://www.columbian.com/12092000/front_pa/166486.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), December 11, 2000