Avista Corporation, previously known as the Washington Water Power Company (WWP), has operated since 1983 a 46-
MWe (net) wood-fired steam turbine power plant at Kettle Falls, Washington. Avista is an investor-owned utility
company located in Spokane, Washington. The plant site is 86 miles north of Spokane next to the Columbia River. Fuel
consists primarily of lumber mill wastes from mills in northeastern Washington, and some in Canada. The facility
began commercial service in December 1983. With the plant’s opening, WWP became the first utility in the nation to operate
a stand-alone power plant of this size fired entirely by wood waste.