Social media is buzzing with questions following Dominion Energy’s announcement about their agreement with Amazon to explore Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). However, it’s important to note that this agreement doesn’t guarantee SMR development—it’s just an exploration into the feasibility of nuclear energy at this stage. Dominion Energy has expressed hope to have the first SMR at Lake Anna completed by 2033, but no firm commitment has been made.

The proposed SMR project at Lake Anna could generate at least 300 megawatts of power, crucial as Dominion projects that power demand in Virginia will increase by 85% over the next 15 years. This agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Dominion and Amazon, aims to explore the feasibility of SMR nuclear technology at the North Anna Power Station in Louisa County.

Louisa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Duane Adams emphasized the potential for the county to play a key role in Virginia’s energy future. “While there is not yet a commitment to build an SMR, Louisa County hopes to be home to an SMR in the coming years,” he said, highlighting the importance of scalable technology for the state’s energy landscape.

SMRs, which generate carbon-free power with a smaller footprint than traditional reactors, are being considered as a way to meet Virginia’s fast-growing energy demands. The state’s power needs are increasing by over 5% annually, and Dominion Energy is working on an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach, which includes offshore wind, solar, battery storage, natural gas, and potentially SMRs by the 2030s.

During a panel hosted by the Louisa County Chamber of Commerce in July 2024, after Louisa County Board of Supervisors Signed SB 454, Dominion Energy representatives Todd Flowers, David Botkins, and Stewart Morris provided insights into the project. If feasibility studies are successful, Dominion anticipates completing the first SMR at North Anna by 2033, with the project needing 50 to 70 acres of land.

“This agreement builds on our longstanding partnership with Amazon and other leading tech companies to accelerate the development of carbon-free power generation in Virginia,” said Robert M. Blue, Chair, President and CEO of Dominion Energy. “It’s an important step forward in serving our customers’ growing needs with reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy. This collaboration gives us a potential path to advance SMRs with minimal rate impacts for our residential customers and substantially reduced development risk.”

Amazon, committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, sees nuclear energy as crucial to its sustainability goals. “Bringing new sources of carbon-free energy to the grid is an important part of Amazon’s commitment to serve our customers and achieve net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040,” said Kevin Miller, Amazon’s Vice President of Global Data Centers.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, along with U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, praised the agreement, recognizing SMRs as a key element in positioning Virginia as a leader in clean energy innovation, job creation, and economic growth.

While no development timeline has been set, the MOU between Dominion and Amazon marks an important step towards exploring SMR technology as part of Virginia’s energy future. SMRs, with their modular design and enhanced safety features, could help meet the state’s growing energy demands while minimizing risks and costs for customers.

Everything You Need to Know About Small, Modular Nuclear Reactors at Lake Anna by 2033

Sources:
https://www.louisacounty.gov//CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=447
https://news.dominionenergy.com/2024-10-16-Dominion-Energy-and-Amazon-to-explore-advancement-of-Small-Modular-Reactor-SMR-nuclear-development-in-Virginia,1

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