Trojan Nuclear Power Plant

{{Infobox power station

| name = Trojan Nuclear Power Plant

| name_official =

| image = Trojan Nuclear Power Plant.jpg

| image_caption = May 2006, shortly before demolition

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|46|2|18|N|122|53|6|W|region:US-OR_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country = United States

| location = Columbia County, Oregon, U.S.
(near Rainier, Oregon)

| status = Demolished

| construction_began = 1 February 1970

| commissioned = 20 May 1976

| decommissioned = 9 November 1992

| cost = $460 million{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

(${{format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|460000000|1976}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{Inflation-fn|US-GDP}})

| owner =

| operator = Portland General Electric

| np_reactor_type = PWR

| np_reactor_supplier = Westinghouse

| np_fuel_type =

| np_fuel_supplier =

| ps_cogeneration =

| ps_cooling_source =

| ps_cooling_towers = 1 × Natural Draft

| ps_units_operational =

| ps_units_manu_model =

| ps_units_uc =

| ps_units_planned =

| ps_units_cancelled =

| ps_units_decommissioned = 1 × 1095 MW

| ps_thermal_capacity = 1 × 3411 MW_th

| ps_heating_capacity =

| ps_electrical_capacity =

| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 53.6% (lifetime)

| ps_storage_capacity =

| ps_annual_generation = 4,962 GW·h (lifetime average)

| website =

}}

Trojan Nuclear Power Plant was a pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant (Westinghouse design) in the northwest United States, located southeast of Rainier, Oregon,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JEIVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HAgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5556%2C1787790 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington|agency=(photo) |title=Nuclear power plant |date=November 19, 1969|page=6}} and so far, the only commercial nuclear power plant to be built in Oregon. There was much public opposition to the plant from the design stage. The three main opposition groups were the Trojan Decommissioning Alliance, Forelaws on the Board, and Mothers for Peace. There were largely non-violent protests from 1977, and subsequent arrests of participants.

The plant was connected to the grid in December 1975.

After 16 years of irregular service, the plant was closed permanently in 1992 by its operator, Portland General Electric (PGE),{{cite news |last=Koberstein |first=Paul |url=http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3118/6073/ |title=Trojan: PGE's Nuclear Gamble |newspaper=Willamette Week |page=A1 |date=2005-03-09 |access-date=2007-06-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115456/http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3118/6073/ |archive-date=2007-09-29 }} after cracks were discovered in the steam-generator tubing. Decommissioning and demolition of the plant began the following year and was largely completed in 2006.{{cite web

|title = Trojan Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Update

|work = Issues in Perspective

|publisher = Portland General Electric

|date = March 2006

|url = http://www.portlandgeneral.com/about_PGE/corporate_info/trojan/images/issues_in_perspective.pdf

|access-date = 2008-04-06

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071114180036/http://www.portlandgeneral.com/about_PGE/corporate_info/trojan/images/issues_in_perspective.pdf

|archive-date = November 14, 2007

}}

While operating, Trojan represented more than 12% of the electrical generation capacity of Oregon. The site lies about {{convert|12|mi|-1|spell=in}} north of St. Helens, on the west (south) bank of the Columbia River.

History

The Trojan Powder Company had formerly manufactured gunpowder and dynamite on a {{convert|634|acre|km2|adj=on}} site on the banks of the Columbia River, {{convert|4|mi|round=0.5|spell=in}} from the town of Rainier, Oregon.

In 1967, Portland General Electric chose the site for a new nuclear power plant.{{citation |url=http://placespages.blogspot.com/2014/05/trojan-in-twilight-history.html |access-date=2019-08-02 |date=16 May 2014 |last=West |first=Robert D. |title=Trojan in Twilight: History}}

Construction began on February 1, 1970;{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bKxVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=POEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5182%2C533277 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon)|agency=Associated Press|title=N-plant site work begins without OK |date=April 3, 1970 |page=4A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_AwRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3327%2C1924626 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=wire services |title=Construction to begin Monday on nuclear plant on Columbia |date=February 11, 1971 |page=1A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=de9VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3282%2C6511982 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |last=Wyant |first=Dan |title=Trojan N-plant site beehive of activity |date=March 26, 1972 |page=1B}} first criticality was achieved on December 15, 1975, and grid connection eight days later on December 23. Commercial operation began on May 20, {{nowrap|1976,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qeZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6452%2C5482718 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=UPI |title=Trojan test successful, PGE says |date=May 20, 1976 |page=9A}}}} under a 35-year license to expire in 2011. At the time, the single 1,130 megawatt unit at Trojan was the world's largest pressurized water reactor; it cost $460 million to build {{nowrap|the plant.Nipper, Gregory. "Progress and Economy: The Clash of Values over Oregon's Trojan Nuclear Plant [http://dr.archives.pdx.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/psu/7016/progress_%26_economy.pdf?sequence=1] {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102162153/http://dr.archives.pdx.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/psu/7016/progress_%26_economy.pdf?sequence=1 | date=2013-11-02 | url-status=dead}}}}

Environmental opposition dogged Trojan from its inception, and the opposition included non-violent protests organized by the Trojan Decommissioning Alliance. Direct action protests were held at the plant in 1977 and 1978, resulting in hundreds of arrests.Daniel Pope. [http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/anti_nuclear_movement/ Anti-Nuclear Movement] The Oregon Encyclopedia.

Image:Trojan1.jpg

In 1978, the plant went offline on March 17 for routine refueling and was idle for nine months while modifications were made to improve its resistance to {{nowrap|earthquakes.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rBRWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4159%2C1157832 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=wire services |title=Trojan plant OK, U.S. agency says |date=December 4, 1978 |page=1A}}}} This followed the discovery of both major building construction errors and the close proximity of a previously unknown fault.Beaulieu and Peterson, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718192740/http://www.oregongeology.com/pubs/og/OGv43n12.pdf]}} "St Helens area relative to the Trojan nuclear site" Dec 1981 The operators sued the builders, and an undisclosed out-of-court settlement was eventually reached.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}

The Trojan steam generators were designed to last the life of the plant, but it was only four years before premature cracking of the steam tubes was observed.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}} In October 1979, the plant was shut down through the end of the year {{nowrap|for repairs.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0ABWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2863%2C4729064|work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Five more protesters arrested in effort to shut down Trojan |date=October 17, 1979 |page=9B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1ZxjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5OEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6800%2C322082 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=UPI |title=Trojan nuclear plant operates at full capacity |date=January 2, 1980 |page=7A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ssBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2253%2C506734|work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Trojan nuke plant put on line again |date=January 2, 1980 |page=2B}}}} The plant had an extended shutdown in 1984, with difficulty restarting.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M91VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6804%2C1045296 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Human error causing Trojan plant problems |date=November 4, 1984 |page=11B}}

In the 1980 election, a ballot measure to ban construction of further nuclear power plants in the state without federally approved waste facilities was approved by the voters 608,412 (53.2%) to 535,049 (46.8%).Oregon Blue Book. [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf Initiative, Referendum and Recall: 1980-1987]. November 4, 1980 - "Nuclear Plant Licensing Requires Voter Approval, Waste Disposal Facility Existence". In 1986, a ballot measure initiated by Lloyd Marbet for immediate closure of the Trojan plant failed 35.7% yes to 64.3% no.Oregon Blue Book. [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf Initiative, Referendum and Recall: 1980-1987]. November 4, 1986 - "Prohibits Nuclear Power Plant Operation Until Permanent Waste Site Licensed". This proposal was resubmitted in 1990, and again in 1992 when a similar proposal (by Jerry and Marilyn Wilson) to close the plant was also included. Each measure was soundly defeated by vote margins over 210,000 votes.Oregon Blue Book. [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf Initiative, Referendum and Recall: 1988-1995]. November 6, 1990 - "Prohibits Trojan Operation Until Nuclear Waste, Cost, Earthquake Standards Met". Defeated 40.3% yes, 59.6% no.Oregon Blue Book. [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf Initiative, Referendum and Recall: 1988-1995]. November 3, 1992 - "Closes Trojan Until Nuclear Waste, Cost, Earthquake, Health Conditions Met". Defeated 59.9% to 40.1%.Oregon Blue Book. [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf Initiative, Referendum and Recall: 1988-1995]. November 3, 1992 - "Bans Trojan Power Operation Unless Earthquake, Waste Storage Conditions Met". Failed 42.7% yes to 57.3% no. Although all closure proposals were defeated, the plant operators committed to successively earlier closure dates for the plant.

Image:Trojan implosion.gif

In 1992, PGE spent $4.5 million to successfully defeat ballot measures seeking to close Trojan immediately, rather than within four years, as PGE had {{nowrap|planned.{{Oregon Encyclopedia|Anti_nuclear_movement|Anti-Nuclear Movement}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-UFWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fuoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6432%2C779482 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |last=Esteve |first=Harry |title=Oregon voters just said 'no' to measures |date=November 4, 1992 |page=5B}}}} At the time, it was the most expensive ballot measure campaign in Oregon history.{{cite news

|title=Tax defeat costs big tobacco big bucks

|first=Whitnes

|last=Malkin

|date=November 8, 2007

|work=The Register-Guard

}} A week after the election, the Trojan plant suffered another steam generator tube leak of radioactive water, and was {{nowrap|shut down.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R0JWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gOoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1721%2C4606455|work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Split over N-plant safety revealed |date=December 20, 1992 |page=1A}}}} It was announced that replacement of the steam generators would be necessary. In December 1992, documents were leaked from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission showing that staff scientists believed that Trojan might be unsafe {{nowrap|to operate.}} In early January 1993, PGE chief executive Ken Harrison announced the company would not try to {{nowrap|restart Trojan.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QkRWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=beoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6406%2C977075 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |last=Esteve |first=Harry |title=PGE shuts down Trojan for good |date=January 5, 1993 |page=1A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3X5fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CjAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3128%2C1017004 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Baum |first=Bob |title=Oregon nuclear plant won't reopen |date=January 5, 1993|page=7A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Q0RWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=beoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3479%2C1114438 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |last=Esteve |first=Harry |title=Trojan will have a slow, expensive death |date=January 6, 1993 |page=1A}}}}

=After 1993 decision not to restart=

The spent fuel was transferred from cooling pools to 34 concrete and steel storage casks in 2003.{{cite news

|title=Trojan's nuclear waste still on-site in steel, concrete casks

|first=Wayne

|last=Havrelly

|date=March 18, 2011

|url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/trojans-nuclear-waste-still-on-site-in-steel-concrete-casks/283-73509644

|work=KGW News

}}

File:Former site of Trojan Nuclear Plant in 2022.jpg

In 2005, the reactor vessel and other radioactive equipment were removed from the Trojan plant, encased in concrete foam, shrink-wrapped, and transported intact by barge along the Columbia River to Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington, where it was buried in a pit and covered with {{convert|45|ft}} of gravel, which made it the first commercial reactor to be moved and buried whole.{{cite web

| url = http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/OR3142/

| title = Trojan Nuclear Power Plant

| publisher = Center for Land Use Interpretation

| access-date = 2008-12-03

}} It was awaiting transport to the Yucca Mountain Repository until that project was canceled in 2009.{{cite news|title=GAO: Death of Yucca Mountain Caused by Political Maneuvering |url=https://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/05/10/10greenwire-gao-death-of-yucca-mountain-caused-by-politica-36298.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=11 May 2011|newspaper=New York Times|date=Aug 1, 2011}}

The iconic {{convert|499|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} cooling tower, visible from Interstate 5 in Washington and U.S. Route 30 in Oregon, was demolished in 2006 via dynamite implosion at 7:00 a.m. PDT on Sunday, {{nowrap|May 21.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pl1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qfADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3403%2C5196262 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=(Washington Post) |last=Harden |first=Blaine |title=Nuclear tower takes volatile history with it |date=May 22, 2006 |page=A1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y2lWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JPMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6840%2C2529414 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |last=Skidmore |first=Sarah |title=Tower demolished at idle Oregon power plant |date=May 22, 2006 |page=A6}}}} This event marked the first implosion of a cooling tower at a nuclear plant in the United States.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}} Additional demolition work on the remaining structures continued through 2008. The central office building and the reactor building were demolished by Northwest Demolition and Dismantling{{cite news|title=Northwest Demolition and Dismantling|url=http://www.nwdemolition.com/|access-date=1 Aug 2011}} in 2008. Remaining are five buildings: two warehouses, a small building on the river side, a guard shack, and offices outside the secured facility. It is expected that demolition of the plant will cost approximately $230 million, which includes the termination of the plant possession-only license, conventional demolition of the building and continuing cost for storage of used nuclear fuel.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}}

A number of the civil defence sirens that were originally installed within a {{convert|10|mi|adj=on}} radius of Trojan, to warn of an incident at the plant that could endanger the general public, continue to stand in the Washington cities of Longview, Kelso, and Kalama.{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=207190268963651879687.0004e5f9dd0825ac0a584&dg=feature|title=Trojan Nuclear Plant old sirens - Google My Maps|website=Google My Maps}} Some of the other sirens, which have been removed, have been repurposed as tsunami warning sirens along the Oregon coast.{{cite web| url = http://www.katu.com/news/local/117838878.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110313012605/http://www.katu.com/news/local/117838878.html| archive-date = 2011-03-13| title = Some sirens didn't sound but officials say response good {{!}} KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traffic Weather and Breaking News - Portland, Oregon - Portland, Oregon {{!}} Local & Regional}} While there are no plans to remove the remaining sirens, the city of Longview has removed a few of the sirens on an as-needed basis to make way for other projects.{{cite web|url=http://tdn.com/news/local/news-photo-siren-down/article_7a7067aa-e9c6-11e2-b97b-0019bb2963f4.html|title=News Photo: Siren down|first=The Daily|last=News|website=tdn.com}}

Heliport

Trojan Heliport {{Airport codes|||3OR7}} was a 60 x 60 ft. (18 x 18 m) private turf heliport located at the power plant. It is no longer listed in the FAA website.

In popular culture

According to behind-the-scenes interviews, for the 1979 film The China Syndrome, producer Michael Douglas and production designer George C. Jenkins toured the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant and were allowed to take extensive photographs of the control room. The film set built at Sunset Gower Studios was largely based on these photographs.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

References

External links

{{stack|{{Portal|Oregon|Energy|Nuclear technology}}}}

Portland General Electric information about the plant ([https://web.archive.org/web/20080808140603/http://www.portlandgeneral.com/about_PGE/corporate_info/trojan/ archived version of page from August 2008 available from archive.org])

Trojan Park recreation guide [https://portlandgeneral.com/about/parks-campgrounds/Trojan-Park]

[http://hansv.com/trojan_implosion/index.html Local television news coverage of the implosion from many different angles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615050723/http://hansv.com/trojan_implosion/index.html |date=2006-06-15 }}

[http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=2294 High Country News article providing some of the time line of the plant] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311102248/http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=2294 |date=2007-03-11 }}

Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1976

Category:Buildings and structures in Columbia County, Oregon

Category:Nuclear power plants in Oregon

Category:Former nuclear power stations in the United States

Category:Nuclear power stations using pressurized water reactors

Category:Portland General Electric

Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Oregon

Category:1976 establishments in Oregon

Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2006

Category:Buildings and structures demolished by controlled implosion

Category:Heliports in the United States

Category:1992 disestablishments in Oregon

Category:Former power stations in Oregon