Virginia Utility Will Extend Life Of Its Nuke Portfolio to 80 Years
The power-generating utility Dominion, Richmond, Va., is in early discussions with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the operating life of its nuclear units to 80 years, says Thomas Wohlfarth, senior vice president. Dominion previously received 20-year extensions to the original 40-year licenses for its Surry and North Anna units. Receiving extensions would bode well for the development of a third nuclear unit at North Anna, says Wohlfarth. If reactors that were built in the 1970s could operate for 80 years, then a newer unit could be designed to run for up to 100 years, he says. Dominion plans to decide whether to build North Anna-3 after it receives a combined construction permit-operating license in early 2016. Dominion wants a balanced portfolio and believes that is best achieved with an additional nuclear unit.