A spokesman for Energy Northwest defended the Columbia Generating Station's track record concerning the river that bears its name and supplies it with 24 million gallons of water per day, The Portland Business Journal reported.
Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit in Washington that targets the process used by the state to allow the nuclear plant a permit for using Columbia River water for its closed loop cooling system.
While most of the water dissipates into the atmosphere, 1.9 million gallons is returned to the river each day, the newspaper said.
A plant spokesman, John Dobken said the public comment period for the permit granted Sept. 30 by the Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council was extended. He also said that water quality reports issued each month show no harm to the river's water quality.
A 1985 report concluded here was no harm to local fish populations, Dobken said.
The plant began operations in 1984. The 1,170 megawatt plant is the only nuclear power plant operating in the region.
The lawsuit was filed by the Northwest's Environmental Defense Center, Northwest Environmental Advocates and Columbia Riverkeeper.
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