Dominion Gets Approval to Operate North Anna Nuclear Plant Through 2060

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Dominion Energy Incorporated (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia) received approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (Rockville, Maryland) to operate its roughly 2,000-megawatt (MW) North Anna nuclear power plant in Virginia through 2060.

North Anna, 40 miles northwest of Richmond, features two pressurized water reactor units that began operating in 1978 and 1980, respectively. The extension--which is the second license renewal for the plant--allows it to operate 20 years beyond previously approved dates. Unit 1 and Unit 2 now can operate through 2058 and 2060, respectively.

In a press release announcing the approval, Dominion said it plans to perform upgrades at the North Anna plant--including replacing the reactors' main generators and condensers, refurbishing reactor coolant pumps, and converting instrument and control systems from analog to digital.

Industrial Info is tracking planned steam generator replacements on both units with a medium probability (70-80%) of kicking off around the end of the decade: Unit 1 in 2029 and Unit 2 in 2030. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can read detailed reports on the Unit 1 and Unit 2 projects, and click here for a profile on the North Anna plant.

In July, Dominion said it issued a request for proposal to evaluate developing a small modular reactor (SMR) at North Anna; SMRs are smaller-scale nuclear reactors that offer a more versatile and smaller footprint compared to conventional nuclear reactors, with a lower price point and faster construction/installation times. For more information on SMR development across the U.S., see June 19, 2024, article - U.S. Funds Backing Small-Scale Nuclear Reactors.

Another Dominion nuclear plant in Virginia already received NRC approval (in 2021) to extend its operating license through 2053: the two-unit, 1,600-MW Surry Power Station in Virginia. Combined, Surry and North Anna generate 40% of Virginia's electricity, according to Dominion, and account for about 90% of the carbon-free power in the state.

Industrial Info also is tracking project activity at the Surry plant, including planned steam generator replacements on both units, a refueling outage on Unit 2 scheduled for the fourth quarter, and an upgrade of Unit 2 to improve its reliability, performance and availability. Click here for the related project reports, and click here for a plant profile.

In the recent press release, Dominion also said it plans to seek NRC approval to extend the operating licenses for its V.C. Summer Power Station in South Carolina (see plant profile) and Millstone Power Station in Connecticut (see plant profile.)

Last month, the NRC approved Vistra Corporation's (NYSE:VST) (Irving, Texas) request to operate its 2,400-MW Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in Texas through 2053. For more information, see August 2, 2024, article - Vistra Secures Approval to Operate Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant Through 2053.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).