The US utility Dominion Energy has received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to extend by 20 years the operating license for the North Anna nuclear power plant, located in Louisa County, in the US State of Virginia. The power plant currently features two reactors (the 982 MW Unit 1 and the 976 MW Unit 2) which generate enough power to supply about 500,000 households.
The North Anna units were originally licensed to operate for 40 years in 1978 and 1980 and their licenses were renewed for an additional 20 years in 2003. Under its current licenses, North Anna reactors 1 and 2 could have operated through 2038 and 2040. With the renewed licenses, the units can now operate through 2058 and 2060, respectively.
In 2021, Dominion Energy's Surry nuclear power plant had also received NRC approval to extend its operating license through to 2053. Combined, Surry and North Anna generate about 40% of Virginia's electricity.
There are now 95 nuclear reactors currently in operation in the US for a total capacity of over 97 GW. Nuclear accounted for 18% of the US' total generation in 2022 and 2023.
Interested in Power Plants?
Enerdata has developed a market research service to screen, monitor and analyse the development of power generation assets.
Power Plant Tracker offers an interactive database and a powerful search engine covering power plants worldwide – including both installed and planned capacities for renewables and fossil fuels.