"YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the license for the Northwest's only commercial nuclear power plant by an additional 20 years, the plant's operator announced Wednesday."

"The license extends operations at south-central Washington's Columbia Generating Station through 2043. The plant had been operating on a 40-year license that expires at the end of 2023.

The plant is operated by Energy Northwest, a public power consortium composed of 28 member utilities."

Shannon Dininny reports for the Associated Press May 23, 2012. [2]