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Getting back to yes: A local perspective on decommissioning, restart, and responsibility
For 45 years, Duane Arnold Energy Center operated in Linn County, Ia., near the town of Palo and just northwest of Cedar Rapids. The facility, owned by NextEra Energy, was the only nuclear power plant in the state.
In August 2020, a historic derecho swept across eastern Iowa with winds approaching 140 miles per hour. Damage to the plant’s cooling towers accelerated a shutdown that had already been planned, and the facility entered decommissioning soon after, with its fuel removed in October of that year. Iowa’s only nuclear plant had gone off line.
Today the national energy landscape looks very different than it did just six short years ago. Electricity demand is rising rapidly as data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and electrification expand across the country. Reliable, carbon-free baseload power has become increasingly valuable. In that context, Linn County has approved the rezoning necessary to support the recommissioning and restart of Duane Arnold and is actively supporting NextEra’s efforts to secure the remaining state and federal approvals.
Curtiss-Wright offers a comprehensive range of products and services that sustain the safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants across the world. Our nuclear legacy dates back to 1957, when the first commercial nuclear power plant in Shippingport, PA began its operations.
Today, more than 65 years later, Curtiss-Wright continues to meet the demands of operating nuclear reactors, while expanding our capabilities to support the next generation of advanced reactor designs. We deliver innovative solutions for Plant Life Extension (PLEX), Extended Power Uprate (EPU) programs, and critical plant obsolescence issues. Curtiss-Wright meets all NQA-1 qualifications and maintains certifications in alignment with industry standards.
Through our business units and legacy brands—including Anatec-LMT, AP Services, Enertech, NETCO, Nova, Scientech, Trentec, and WSC—we offer:
• Engineering and Analysis
• Fasteners, Components, and Bolting Solutions
• Fluid Sealing Solutions
• I&C Systems and Electrical Equipment
• Outage and Inspection Services
• Plant Monitoring and Simulation
• Testing and Qualification
• Valves and Actuators
https://cwnuclear.com/