Duke Energy has applied to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for an early site permit (ESP) for a site near the Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County, North Carolina. Duke says this is part of the company’s strategic, ongoing commitment to thoroughly evaluate new nuclear generation options to reliably meet the growing energy needs of its customers while reducing costs and risks.
An early site permit is valid for 10 to 20 years, and can be renewed for an additional 10 to 20 years, but is not a permit for construction of a plant to begin. This would require a construction permit, or a combined construction and operation licence. Submission of the ESP application to NRC marks the culmination of two years of work, Duke Energy said.
Submitting an ESP application is a first for Duke Energy and a risk-mitigation strategy as it pursues new nuclear generation options. An ESP is an optional NRC process that resolves environmental and site safety topics on the front end of a project and confirms a site’s suitability for new nuclear generation. Having an approved permit reduces the risk of delays during licensing and construction if the company decides to go ahead.
The ESP is technology neutral, allowing Duke Energy to receive the permit and select a technology later in the development process. The company’s application includes six potential reactor technologies, including four small modular reactor designs and two non-light-water designs. Large light-water reactors, similar to the 11 units Duke Energy currently operates in the Carolinas, are not included in the permit application.
“Nuclear energy has and will continue to play an essential role in powering communities in the Carolinas,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina President. “Submitting an early site permit application is an important next step in assessing the potential for small modular reactors at the Belews Creek site.”
Duke Energy Chief Nuclear Officer Kelvin Henderson noted: “We’re taking a strategic approach to new nuclear development that allows us to advance licensing activities while reducing risks and allowing technologies to mature.”
If additional evaluation confirms small modular reactor (SMR) technology at the Belews Creek site offers the best value for customers, the company plans to add 600 MWe of advanced nuclear to the system by 2037, with the first SMR coming on line in 2036.
In October, Duke Energy filed a resource plan with utility regulators proposing the evaluation of large light-water reactor technology, as well as small SMRs, to help meet growing electricity demand across North Carolina and South Carolina. The plan identifies the William States Lee III Nuclear Station site in Cherokee County, South Carolina, and the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant site in Wake County, North Carolina, as those best suited for new large reactors.
The existing Belews Creek Steam Station is a two-unit plant on the shores of Belew Lake, in Stokes County, with a total capacity of 2200 MWe. It was built as a coal-fired plant, entering commercial operation in 1974, but is now co-fired on coal and natural gas. The current units are scheduled to retire in the late 2030s. Repurposing the site offers a cost-saving opportunity for customers, and enables Duke Energy to reinvest in the local community, the company said.
Duke Energy spokesperson Bill Norton explained that the ESP allows NRC to evaluate the site for key factors that might delay future construction issues, such as environmental issues, seismic conditions, etc. “By filing the Early Site Permit, we’re really resolving those potential issues on the front end.” The process takes about 18 months to complete, during which time Duke Energy will review different nuclear technologies before making any final decisions.
