NRC issues subsequent license for North Anna plant

Dominion Energy's North Anna nuclear power plant received its second operating license renewal earlier this week, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced.

North Anna Units 1 and 2 are twin 973-MWe three-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactors located about 40 miles northwest of Richmond, Va. Unit 1's operating license will now expire April 1, 2058, and Unit 2's will expire August 21, 2060.

Including North Anna, the NRC has now approved eight subsequent license renewals (SLRs), authorizing those nuclear reactors to operate from 60 to 80 years. Seven more SLR applications are currently under review.

Quotable: "For more than 50 years, nuclear power has been the most reliable workhorse of our fleet and the largest source of carbon-free power in Virginia," said Eric Carr, Dominion Energy's chief nuclear officer. "North Anna operates around the clock and generates the reliable, clean energy that powers our customers' homes and businesses every day."

To help support North Anna's longevity, Dominion has taken on numerous station upgrades, including replacement of the reactors' main generators and condensers, refurbishment of reactor coolant pumps, and conversion of instrument and control systems from analog to digital. The utility is also adding 80 enhancements to station procedures, such as additional inspections and equipment testing.

A closer look: Dominion filed SLR requests for 20-year extensions for North Anna in 2020. The plant's first license renewal was approved by the NRC in 2003. Units 1 and 2 first started commercial operation in 1978 and 1980, respectively.

During the course of the most recent review, the NRC established an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) to address a hearing request filed by three antinuclear groups citing concern over earthquake risk at the North Anna site. The ASLB concluded in July 2024 that no contested matters remained before it for resolution. The board's decision has been appealed to the NRC, but commission regulations allow it to issue licenses even while an appeal is pending. The NRC retains the ability to act on the appeal and, as needed, direct additional staff action on the licenses.