Contractor Sues Washington Nuke Plant Operator Over Work

A contractor hired to perform work at Washington’s only nuclear power plant is suing the plant’s operator, Energy Northwest, saying it withheld key information about the work to be done.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court, Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy says not getting the information made the work take longer than necessary and cost it about $50 million.

The Tri-City Herald reports that the contractor had a $33 million contract to replace the 26-year-old condenser at the Columbia Generating Station near Richland this spring. The condenser turns steam generated by boiling water in the reactor back into water for reuse in the plant.

The complaint says the project required more work than Energy Northwest let on. Among other problems, it says there was more radiological contamination than expected.

Energy Northwest spokeswoman Rochelle Olson says the plant operator disputes the contractor’s allegations. Officials have said previously that Babcock & Wilcox was ill-prepared for the job.

The plant generates enough electricity for about 1 million homes.