Utility sets goal of net-zero emissions by mid-centuryNuclear NewsPower & OperationsFebruary 12, 2020, 4:38PM|Nuclear News StaffReferencing the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as its own “strong history of environmental stewardship,” Dominion Energy on February 11 announced that it is expanding its greenhouse gas emission–reduction goals by pledging to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The new goal covers emissions of carbon dioxide and methane—the two leading greenhouse gases—from the company’s electricity generation and gas infrastructure operations.“Our mandate is to provide reliable and affordable energy safely,” said Thomas F. Farrell II, Dominion’s chairman, president, and chief executive officer. “We do that every day, all year long. But we recognize that we must also continue to be a leader in combatting climate change. . . . Dominion Energy already has made important progress on emissions. This new commitment sets an even higher bar that I am confident we can, and will, reach. Net-zero emissions will be good for all of our stakeholders—for our customers, communities, employees, and investors.”The company joins a growing list of utilities that have made the same or similar emission-reduction commitments. Duke Energy, for instance, announced a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 last September (NN, Oct. 2019, p. 9), followed later the same month by DTE Energy.Dominion had previously committed to reducing carbon emissions from its power generating facilities by 80 percent between 2005 and 2050 and to cutting methane emissions from its natural gas operations by 50 percent between 2010 and 2030. According to the company, it has lowered carbon emissions approximately 50 percent since 2005 and methane emissions by nearly 25 percent since 2010.“Reducing emissions as fast as possible and achieving net-zero emissions require immediate and direct action,” the Dominion announcement stated. “That is why the company is moving to extend licenses for its zero-carbon nuclear generation fleet, promoting customer energy efficiency programs, and investing in wind and solar power, lower-carbon natural gas, and carbon-beneficial renewable natural gas. Over the long term, achieving this goal will also require supportive legislative and regulatory policies, technological advancements, and broader investments across the economy. This includes support for the testing and deployment of such technologies as large-scale energy storage, hydrogen, and advanced nuclear and carbon capture, all of which have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”Dominion’s nuclear fleet includes three two-unit plants: Connecticut’s Millstone and Virginia’s North Anna and SurryTags:dominionzero-emissionsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Entergy takes net-zero pledge, teams with Mitsubishi to decarbonize with hydrogenPaul Browning, Mitsubishi Power, and Paul Hinnenkamp, Entergy, sign the joint agreement on September 23. Photo: EntergyNew Orleans–based Entergy Corporation last week announced a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, joining a growing list of major energy companies to make that promise—including Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Southern Company, Xcel Energy, and Public Service Enterprise Group. And, like those companies, Entergy says that it sees nuclear playing an important role in the realization of that goal.Go to Article
Former SCANA exec pleads guilty in Summer fraud caseStephen A. Byrne, former executive vice president of SCANA Corporation, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 23 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with the failed $9-billion nuclear-expansion project at South Carolina’s Summer plant.Byrne, 60, had also been president of generation and transmission and chief operating officer at SCANA subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas, overseeing all of SCANA’s nuclear operations, including the construction of the new nuclear units, on which work was stopped in 2017 (NN, Aug. 2017, p. 17).Go to Article
Santee Cooper, Dominion agree to pay $520 million in Summer suitA circuit court judge on July 20 gave final approval to a $520-million settlement in a class action civil suit brought against Santee Cooper over alleged deceptive business practices involving the failed nuclear-expansion project at South Carolina’s Summer plant. Santee Cooper was the junior partner to SCANA Corporation’s South Carolina Electric and Gas in the two-reactor project, which was canceled in July 2017 (NN, Aug. 2017, p. 17). In July 2019, SCANA became a wholly owned subsidiary of Virginia-based Dominion Energy (NN, Feb. 2019, p. 15). According to the lawsuit, brought by ratepayers, Santee Cooper raised rates to cover the increasing costs of the Summer expansion even after becoming aware that the project was no longer viable. Go to Article
Dominion agrees to pay $25 million in SEC caseVirginia-based Dominion Energy has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) case regarding the Summer nuclear expansion project, abandoned by owners SCANA and Santee Cooper in 2017, prior to the Dominion/SCANA merger.Go to Article
Safety board endorses Surry second license renewalThe ACRS supports subsequent license renewal for the Dominion units. Photo: Dominion EnergyThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) has issued a report recommending approval of Dominion Energy’s 20-year subsequent license renewal (SLR) application for Surry-1 and -2. The board reached its conclusion during its April meeting, after reviewing both the SLR application and the associated final safety evaluation report. Dominion submitted the application in October 2018.Go to Article
NRC likely to grant second license renewalsSurry Power Station. Photo: Dominion Energy.The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its final supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) on April 6 for Dominion Energy’s subsequent license renewal (SLR) application for Surry-1 and -2, concluding that the potential environmental impacts from continued operation of the units are not substantial enough to prevent the agency from considering issuance of the SLRs. The NRC had issued its final safety evaluation report on the Surry SLR application on March 9, with a similarly positive conclusion.Go to Article
Arresting debris-related fuel failuresby Mike Little and Dale Vines, Dominion Engineering, Inc.Now how did that get there?Finding foreign material in your reactor system is not the beginning of a good day. Where did it come from? Did someone leave this in here or did something break? When did this happen? These are all good questions for which we need to know the answers.Go to Article