Goldendale Generating Station

As an important part of Klickitat County, our Goldendale Generating Station not only creates good local jobs, but also provides substantial tax revenue for local public services. In addition, we support local charitable organizations.

Goldendale Generating Station facts

Goldendale came online in 2004 and PSE purchased it in February 2007. The plant employs modern, “combined cycle combustion turbine” technology that allows it to generate electricity using both a natural gas cycle and, from the exhaust heat of its power-generating turbines, a steam cycle. The two-stage process boosts operating efficiency, lowers fuel costs, and cuts air emissions. Combined-cycle plants like Goldendale operate more efficiently than simple-cycle gas-fired plants. The latter typically run only to help meet daily or seasonal peaks in customers’ power usage, while combined-cycle plants often operate to help meet utility customers’ base power requirements. They also complement hydro and wind-powered generation because gas-fired plants can operate on a firm schedule, while power generation from hydro and wind-generating facilities is dependent upon the seasons.

• The Goldendale Generating Station in Klickitat County is one of eight natural gas-fired power plants that we own and operate in Washington.
• The station produces 277 megawatts of electricity at maximum capacity — enough to meet the needs of 200,000 households.
• The plant uses a combined-cycle combustion turbine technology, a two-stage process that boosts operating efficiency, lowers fuel costs and reduces air emissions.
• We employ 18 full-time workers at this facility.