North Anna Nuclear Generating Station Explained

North Anna Nuclear Generating Station
Name Official:North Anna Power Station
Image Alt:Photograph of North Anna Nuclear Power Plant
Coordinates:38.0606°N -77.7894°W
Country:United States
Location:Louisa County, near Mineral, Virginia
Status:O
Commissioned:Unit 1: June 6, 1978
Unit 2: December 14, 1980
Cost:$3.861 billion (2007 USD)[1]
Owner:Dominion Virginia Power (88.4%),
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (11.6%)
Operator:Dominion Energy
Np Reactor Type:PWR
Np Reactor Supplier:Westinghouse
Ps Cooling Source:Lake Anna, North Anna River
Ps Units Operational:1 × 948 MW
1 × 944 MW
Ps Units Manu Model:WH 3-loop (DRYSUB)
Ps Units Planned:1 × 1535 MW ESBWR
Ps Units Cancelled:2 × 907 MW B&W 145
Ps Thermal Capacity:2 × 2940 MWth
Ps Electrical Capacity:1892 MW (current)
3427 MW (planned)
Ps Electrical Cap Fac:97.30% (2017)
83.50% (lifetime)
Ps Annual Generation:15,371 GWh (2021)
Website:North Anna Power Station

The North Anna Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power plant on a 1075acres site in Louisa County, Virginia, in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The site is operated by Dominion Generation company and is jointly owned by the Dominion Virginia Power corporation (88.4%) and by the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (11.6%).

The plant has two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors which went on-line in 1978 and 1980, respectively. Together the reactors generate 1.79 gigawatts of power, which is distributed mainly to the greater Richmond area and to Northern Virginia. In March 2003, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved 20 year license extensions for both Units 1 & 2.[2] Both units are currently under review for a subsequent license renewal as of 2020.[3]

An artificial lake, Lake Anna, was constructed on the North Anna River to provide a reservoir of water coolant for use with the nuclear plant.

Dominion Energy currently owns nuclear power plants in Virginia (North Anna, Surry), Connecticut (Millstone), South Carolina (Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station), and Wisconsin (Kewaunee). North Anna is similar in design and appearance to Surry Power Station.

Unit 3

Dominion obtained regulatory permission from the NRC to build and operate an additional unit at the site in 2017. The additional unit 3 would be an ESBWR.[4] [5] but the project was placed on hold later in 2017 before construction started.

Timeline

Dominion Nuclear North Anna, LLC submitted its application for an Early Site Permit (ESP) for the North Anna site on September 25, 2003. The NRC issued the ESP on November 27, 2007.[6] On the same day, Dominion submitted an application for a Combined Construction and Operating License (COL) for a 1,520 MWe GEHitachi Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR), designated as North Anna Unit 3.[7]

In 2009, having failed to agree on terms for an engineering construction and procurement deal with GE-Hitachi to actually build the reactor, Dominion issued a new request for proposals from reactor vendors. In 2010, Dominion announced that it had selected a 1,700 MWe, US-specific version of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' (MHI) Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor (APWR) for the potential Unit 3.[8] The proposed reactor brought public protest. On August 7, 2008 six activists from the Peoples Alliance for Clean Energy were arrested at the North Anna Information Center for trespassing.[9]

On October 29, 2010, Dominion president Tom Farrell told investors that Dominion had decided to slow its development of the proposed third reactor and wait until the combined construction permit-operating license (COL) was approved by the NRC before deciding to complete the project. This approval was expected in early 2013 but issued in May 2017.[10]

In 2013, it was announced that the ESBWR design would be pursued after all. Dominion stated that it would amend its COL application to reflect the ESBWR technology by the end of 2013 and expected to receive the COL "no earlier than late 2015." Dominion noted that it had not yet committed to building a new unit at North Anna.[11] In October 2015, the Virginia Attorney-General's Office called for the abandonment of the project because of the cost burden on consumers.[12]

On January 19, 2017, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that its staff had completed its Final Safety Evaluation Report for a Combined License for the proposed reactor. The report concluded there are no safety aspects that would preclude issuing the license for the construction and operation of the new reactor.[13] On May 31, 2017, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that it had authorized the issuance of a Combined License for North Anna. The license granted permission to build and operate an ESBWR design at the site. The license contained conditions, including specific actions associated with the NRC's post-Fukushima requirements for Mitigation Strategies and Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation, and a pre-startup schedule for post-Fukushima aspects of the new reactor's emergency preparedness plans and procedures.[14]

On September 6, 2017, Dominion Energy paused development activities related to North Anna Unit 3, a decision that nuclear consultant Jim Little suggests may have been due to market conditions and competition from natural gas. Since the federal construction and operating license is valid for 20 years, Dominion Energy may opt to resume the project if economic prospects for the plant improve within that period.[15]

Small modular reactor

In July 2024 Dominion Energy Virginia announced it was working with companies to evaluate siting a small modular reactor at North Anna. A state law recently passed enables this if additional costs for a typical customer are capped at $1.40/month.[16]

Electricity production

Generation (MWh) of North Anna Nuclear Generating Station (Nuclear Only)[17] !Year!Jan!Feb!Mar!Apr!May!Jun!Jul!Aug!Sep!Oct!Nov!Dec!Annual (Total)
20011,330,0091,143,905854,8281,098,0881,345,8161,328,2861,309,5561,180,135766,6491,055,363675,2701,008,84913,096,754
20021,383,1321,249,6041,384,4801,336,1701,380,2451,329,5311,369,3191,368,377808,459695,411673,544695,76413,674,036
2003657,460934,583670,491873,4371,378,2821,104,9191,370,8351,368,9681,326,0101,381,1221,337,0231,380,99413,784,124
20041,380,1771,131,5381,380,3101,334,625727,5661,293,2891,367,7081,368,121898,5381,217,6701,327,4091,379,47514,806,426
20051,378,6451,245,2981,379,2171,331,7711,376,2601,165,9211,200,6151,133,8991,305,752631,8661,167,3161,371,72914,688,289
20061,344,7341,092,662911,6931,100,5051,370,0851,320,4141,358,6251,355,8401,322,5111,372,3391,174,0881,369,66215,093,158
20071,341,8341,225,4771,053,541787,7921,365,9551,290,7201,179,5471,355,964823,7461,017,2731,319,0181,226,06013,986,927
20081,317,1661,103,9321,359,1041,316,6871,357,8921,304,1301,342,6111,345,696934,784672,7441,015,4661,363,21314,433,425
20091,362,7981,231,207833,0881,274,7741,347,1681,310,5431,348,9171,345,5881,310,1381,226,8841,321,3401,290,16515,202,610
20101,361,6871,228,1921,114,682684,0151,300,0221,175,5971,268,0991,387,299881,803297,3101,279,6031,421,15313,399,462
20111,401,5131,280,8791,415,1381,370,6361,410,5341,348,0951,380,1991,008,40800490,4771,412,63812,518,517
20121,395,7311,329,787947,914702,1551,388,4891,382,9801,408,3481,412,8541,382,0741,118,9731,408,2501,455,63515,333,190
20131,458,7851,318,0271,457,705843,393850,9821,382,5001,414,2971,420,297851,1021,135,8931,413,2621,459,03015,005,273
20141,460,4361,268,7921,454,5501,407,4301,440,3641,376,0341,412,6571,415,903824,3151,179,1691,411,5511,237,45115,888,652
20151,431,2861,258,957916,5081,332,6101,441,7571,375,6871,411,7301,414,4361,376,8061,446,6351,407,0571,457,16316,270,632
20161,457,5291,343,315826,6691,154,8901,448,7291,382,7111,378,6861,320,413906,0411,037,3291,410,8881,454,17715,121,377
20171,458,9781,273,1051,458,0651,406,5851,444,1471,378,4451,410,5631,415,040896,5551,191,1801,410,0771,383,34716,126,087
20181,492,8061,305,000949,0161,021,5101,440,2421,374,3051,367,7001,406,2391,371,2761,439,1561,410,0971,455,18416,032,531
20191,396,8771,297,006766,3481,165,1311,437,9821,322,7021,401,5891,410,977846,8721,411,1191,411,6591,456,27715,324,539
20201,453,6031,352,4521,434,5791,185,3331,407,0331,360,0271,401,0531,404,239938,911997,8391,408,1741,456,66015,799,903
20211,456,1851,309,964998,445820,3171,153,3901,376,2631,410,1181,409,5071,161,3401,416,6801,404,2951,455,14215,371,646
20221,458,1911,316,681838,6101,073,7911,428,1081,362,7681,406,451995,230704,180820,3471,407,4951,459,04414,270,896
20231,456,9301,315,6511,451,1801,401,1925,624,953

Surrounding population

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) defines two emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants: a plume exposure pathway zone with a radius of, concerned primarily with exposure to, and inhalation of, airborne radioactive contamination, and an ingestion pathway zone of about, concerned primarily with ingestion of food and liquid contaminated by radioactivity.[18]

The 2010 U.S. population within of North Anna was 21,396, an increase of 15.7 percent in a decade, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data for msnbc.com. The 2010 U.S. population within was 1,912,015, an increase of 22.6 percent since 2000. Cities within 50miles include Richmond (40miles to city center).[19]

Seismic risk

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's estimate of the risk each year of an earthquake intense enough to cause core damage to the reactor at North Anna was 1 in 22,727, according to an NRC study published in August 2010.[20] [21]

According to the USGS, two distinct seismic zones are located in Virginia. The Central Virginia Seismic Zone and the Giles County Seismic Zone. Both of these zones produce recurrent small earthquakes at least every few years.[22] The North Anna Nuclear Generating Station, located 40 miles northwest of Richmond, lies within the Central Virginia Seismic Zone.

Known fault lines

During the construction of original nuclear reactors at North Anna, the utility learned of fault lines within the construction site of the proposed plants from its outside independent engineering firm, Stone & Webster, who the utility had hired to assess the proposed nuclear plant locations. The government fined the utility $32,000.00 for concealing this information.[23]

According to the Huffington Post, this 1977 Justice Department memo "..focused on how the power company and federal regulatory officials went to efforts to not make public the knowledge of geologic faulting at North Anna. "[V]irtually the entire Office of Regulation of the [Nuclear Regulator Commission was]... well aware of the fault and determined not to take any immediate action," according to the memo. A government attorney, Bradford Whitman, did not recommend prosecution at the time, but the power company was eventually fined $32,500 for making false statements during the licensing process, according to the DOJ memo."[24]

Incidents

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission extended the operating licenses of these plants for an additional 20 years in 2003.

2011 Virginia earthquake

At 1:51pm on August 23, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred, centered south of Mineral, Virginia, eleven miles from the North Anna Nuclear Station.[25] The Associated Press reported the quake "was felt as far north as Rhode Island, New York City and Martha's Vineyard, Mass." The reactors automatically shut down and, because of a loss of offsite power, four diesel generators started up to supply electricity to safety systems. The plant reported an "Alert" status, the second lowest level of four NRC emergency classifications,[26] until 11:16am on August 24, 2011.[27] One of the generators suffered a coolant leak and stopped working.[28] A fifth standby generator was activated to replace the broken unit, which was repaired.[27] [29] [30] [31] [32] Offsite power was restored later on August 23.[27] [33] Dominion also reported that the aftershocks did not affect the power plant.[27] Also on August 24, Dominion announced that it had ended the "Notice of Unusual Event", the least serious of the NRC emergency classifications, at the North Anna Power Station following inspection of equipment susceptible to seismic activity.[34] However the plant was not restarted, pending NRC permission, until November.

After the Fukushima disaster had occurred six months prior, the Virginia earthquake prompted public fears of a similar nuclear accident at North Anna.[35] [36] [37] According to local Virginia media station, WHSV, "The two North Anna reactors are among 27 in the eastern and central U.S. that may need upgrades because those plants are more likely to get hit with an earthquake larger than the one on which their design was based, according to a preliminary Nuclear Regulatory Commission review." Dominion has publicly stated that on-site, spent-nuclear-fuel long-term storage canisters shifted during the earthquake along with various building cracks, all while maintaining such damage does not represent unsafe operating conditions.

After more than two months of inspections, NRC permitted restart in November 2011.[38] As of December 20, 2011, both units at North Anna Power Station have restarted and are operating at full power.[39]

17 February 2012

On-site groundwater was found to contain a high level of tritium. The source of the tritium leak was unknown.[40]

14 December 2016

Some diesel generator fuel oil was believed to be released underground, the source of leakage was unknown.[41] [42]

Reactor data

The North Anna Nuclear Generating Station consists of two operational reactors, two originally planned units were cancelled. One additional unit is planned.

Reactor unit[43] Reactor typeCapacity(MW)Construction startedElectricity grid connectionCommercial operationShutdown
NetGross
North Anna-1Westinghouse 3-loop903 MW973 MW1971-02-191978-04-191978-06-06
North Anna-2Westinghouse 3-loop972 MW994 MW1971-02-191980-08-251980-12-14
North Anna-3 (former project)[44] B&W 145907 MW950 MW1971-06-01Cancelled construction on 1982-11-01
North Anna-4 (former project)[45] B&W 145907 MW950 MW1971-12-01Cancelled construction on 1980-11-01
North Anna-3 (planned)[46] [47] ESBWR1538 MW1594 MW

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EIA - State Nuclear Profiles. www.eia.gov. 3 October 2017. en.
  2. Web site: North Anna and Surry, Power Stations — License Renewal Application. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  3. Web site: North Anna, Units 1 and 2 – Subsequent License Renewal Application. NRC. April 4, 2024. July 11, 2024.
  4. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1715/ML17157B168.pdf NRC to Issue New Reactor License to Dominion for North Anna Site | May 31, 2017
  5. https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col-holder/na3.html North Anna Power Station, Unit 3 | NRC.gov
  6. Web site: Issued Early Site Permit — North Anna Site . August 28, 2008 . U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) . 2008-10-16 .
  7. Web site: North Anna, Unit 3 Application . October 14, 2008 . NRC . 2008-10-16 .
  8. Web site: Dominion selects APWR for North Anna . 10 May 2010 . World Nuclear News . 2010-05-10 .
  9. Web site: 6 arrested in protest at North Anna site . August 7, 2008 . Daily Progress . 2008-10-16 . 2008-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081013234809/http://www.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/6_arrested_in_protest_at_north_anna_site/25942/ . dead .
  10. Web site: Dominion's 3rd-quarter net income declines . Oct 29, 2010 . WTOP Radio . 2010-11-10 .
  11. Web site: ESBWR back as proposed North Anna unit . 26 April 2013 . World Nuclear News . 2013-06-15 .
  12. Web site: Va. Attorney general's office says Dominion should abandon third North Anna reactor . 21 October 2015 .
  13. Web site: Archived copy . 2017-01-19 . 2017-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170131194802/https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2017/17-003.pdf . dead .
  14. https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2017/17-025.pdf
  15. Web site: Amid nuclear setbacks, Virginia utility pauses plans for new reactor . September 6, 2017 . Energy News Network . 2019-07-30 .
  16. Web site: Seeking carbon-free power, Virginia utility considers small nuclear reactors. Associated Press. July 10, 2024. July 11, 2024. Finley, Ben.
  17. Web site: Electricity Data Browser . 2023-07-01 . www.eia.gov.
  18. Web site: Backgrounder on Emergency Preparedness at Nuclear Power Plants . 2019-12-22 . Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  19. Web site: 2011-04-14 . Nuclear neighbors: Population rises near US reactors . 2024-08-16 . NBC News . en.
  20. Web site: 2011-03-16 . What are the odds? US nuke plants ranked by quake risk . 2024-08-16 . NBC News . en.
  21. Web site: Archived copy . 2011-04-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170525170632/http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Sections/NEWS/quake%20nrc%20risk%20estimates.pdf . 2017-05-25 . dead .
  22. Web site: Earthquakes in the Central Virginia Seismic Zone. geology.com. 29 November 2015.
  23. https://web.archive.org/web/20111113085901/http://www2.timesdispatch.com/mgmedia/file/408/110511-nuke/ Department of Justice 1977 memo VEPCO fined for concealing material issue
  24. Web site: North Anna Nuclear Plant Earthquake Risk: 1977 Memo Details Cover-Up Of Seismic Knowledge. The Huffington Post. 7 November 2011 . 29 November 2015.
  25. Web site: . Earthquake Hazards Program . Magnitude 5.8 - VIRGINIA; 2011 August 23 17:51:04 UTC . August 23, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120329153631/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/se082311a.php . March 29, 2012 .
  26. News: Smith. Rebecca. Virginia Nuclear Power Plant Loses Power After Quake. 24 August 2011. 24 August 2011. Tracy, Tennille. Fields, Gary. The Wall Street Journal.
  27. Alert Ends at North Anna Power Station. PR Newswire. 29 November 2015.
  28. News: U.S. Nuclear Industry Tested by Twin Threats From Mother Nature. https://archive.today/20130118184336/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-08-24/u-s-nuclear-industry-tested-by-twin-threats-from-mother-nature.html. dead. January 18, 2013. August 24, 2011.
  29. News: Nuclear Plant's Full Power Restored. August 24, 2011. Wall Street Journal. Jennifer . Forsyth.
  30. News: Quake raises safety concerns as US nuclear plant shut. Reuters. Aug 23, 2011 . Eileen. O'Grady.
  31. News: Quake rocks Washington area, felt on East Coast . https://web.archive.org/web/20181009211327/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EAST_COAST_QUAKE?SITE=INEVA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT . dead . October 9, 2018 . . August 23, 2011 . August 23, 2011 . mdy-all .
  32. News: North Anna nuclear facility loses power, shut down after quake. Richmond Times Dispatch. 2011-08-23. 2011-12-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20111209020414/http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/aug/23/north-anna-nuclear-facility-loses-power-shut-down--ar-1257146/. dead.
  33. http://dom.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1015 "Dominion's North Anna Power Station Restores Offsite Power"
  34. http://dom.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1017 Dominion Virginia Power press release
  35. Web site: Virginia Quake May Have Exceeded Nuke Plant Design, NRC Says. Roscoe. Ayesha. 2011-08-29. Inside Climate News. Reuters. 2019-06-10. The NRC has been reviewing the ability of U.S. plants to cope with major disasters after a massive earthquake and tsunami nearly led to a complete meltdown at Japan's Fukushima nuclear complex earlier this year.....
  36. The Fallout: Seven months later: Japan's nuclear predicament. Osnos. Evan. 2011-10-10. The New Yorker. 2019-06-10. That debate became more urgent after August 23rd, when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake, whose epicenter was in Virginia—the largest quake in the area in more than a century—shook the East Coast. It affected twenty American nuclear reactors, most seriously the North Anna plant, in Virginia.....
  37. Web site: Virginia's Fukushima. Lopez. Tyler. 2013-09-09. Huffington Post. 2019-06-10. Unfortunately, lack of foresight, cover-ups, earthquakes, and boiling-water reactors aren’t unique to Fukushima. Nearly 7,000 miles away, in Louisa, Va., the North Anna Nuclear Generating Station continues to produce electricity on the shores of Lake Anna.....
  38. https://archive.today/20120709202402/http://dom.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1053 Dominion News, Dominion Virginia Power Begins Restart of North Anna Power Station
  39. https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/reactor-status/ps.html NRC, Current Power Reactor Status Report for December 20, 2011
  40. Web site: Elevated radioactivity levels found in North Anna well;from google (north anna nuclear leak) result 1. 22 February 2012 .
  41. Web site: fuel oil was released underground. Facebook. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/553951578003190/1325653244166349 . 2022-02-26 . limited.
  42. Web site: Power Reactor Event Number: 52438.
  43. Web site: Power Reactor Information System - Home . iaea.org . 29 November 2015.
  44. Web site: Nuclear Power Reactor Details - NORTH ANNA-3 . 1982 . www.iaea.org . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604105541/https://www.iaea.org/cgi-bin/db.page.pl/pris.prdeta.htm?country=US&refno=404 . 4 June 2011 . dead . 14 November 2017.
  45. Web site: Nuclear Power Reactor Details - NORTH ANNA-4 . 1980 . www.iaea.org . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604105613/https://www.iaea.org/cgi-bin/db.page.pl/pris.prdeta.htm?country=US&refno=405 . 4 June 2011 . dead . 14 November 2017.
  46. Power Reactor Information System of the IAEA: „Nuclear Power Reactor Details - NORTH ANNA-3“
  47. https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col-holder/na3.html U.S.NRC - Combined License Holders for New Reactors