SLR application for North Anna units docketed

October 16, 2020, 12:00PMNuclear News

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted for review an application from Dominion Energy to renew for 20 years the previously renewed operating licenses for North Anna-1 and -2, according to a notice published in yesterday’s Federal Register. Dominion submitted the application on August 24.

A version of the 1,899-page subsequent license renewal application without proprietary details is available to the public on the NRC’s website.

Public input: The FR notice also contains information on the public’s opportunity to request a hearing in the matter. “Petitions to intervene in a hearing must be filed by December 14, 2020, by anyone whose interest may be affected by the proposed license renewal and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding,” the notice states.

Background: North Anna, located in Mineral, Va., is home to twin 973-MWe three-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. Units 1 and 2 started operating commercially in 1978 and 1980, respectively. The NRC approved the reactors’ initial license renewal in March 2003, allowing Unit 1 to operate through April 1, 2038, and Unit 2 through August 21, 2040.

North Anna is the second nuclear facility in the state to seek subsequent license renewal, after Dominion's filing in 2018 of a similar application to renew the licenses of its two Surry units—twin 874-MWe reactors. The NRC is currently reviewing that application as well.

According to Dominion, the North Anna and Surry units produce 31 percent of the electricity for the company’s 2.5 million customers and 95 percent of Virginia’s carbon-free electricity.


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