Heated debate concerning the North Anna Power Station is expected to continue Wednesday, October 24, as Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff meet with members of the public to discuss the intention of Dominion Power to build a third nuclear reactor at the site, located 30 miles from Charlottesville. The meeting will be held at Louisa County Middle School in Mineral at 7pm. It will address the process that the NRC will follow when reviewing Dominion’s anticipated request for a combined license—the paperwork required to formally begin construction on another reactor.
 Plans are inching forward for a third nuclear reactor at the North Anna Power Station. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff will meet with members of the public to discuss Dominion’s intentions at an October 24 meeting. Check back here for coverage following the meeting |
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Currently, Dominion is awaiting approval of an early site permit which would allow it the authority to begin clearing land and prepping a site for the new reactor. This initial document, expressing interest in expansion at the power station, is expected to be approved by the end of the year, at which point the final combined license request is expected to be submitted to the NRC for review. In the meantime, however, concerned citizens can find out more about the nuclear oversight process by attending the upcoming meeting.
"The agency’s openness objective is to hold these information meetings before an application is submitted to explain what the process is in lay terminology and outline the opportunities the public has to participate in the [combined] licensing process," says Thomas Kevern, NRC’s project manager for the North Anna Power Station.
Among those expected to be in attendance at the meeting is Harry Ruth, founder of the environmental group Friends of Lake Anna. While Ruth’s group does not oppose nuclear power, it does critically monitor the lake for any adverse effects the station has on the environment. Ruth says plans for the new reactor include a cooling system that not only will increase the temperature of the already warmer-than-normal lake but also will exacerbate current drought conditions.
"The lake is currently down about 3 feet or a little bit more," says Ruth. "Most people can’t get their boats out or use the lake because of that. If you install a new reactor and deplete the water, I think there’s going to be a lot of unhappy people."
Dominion claims that most environmental concerns are being addressed in the current review of the company’s early site permit for the new reactor, according to Dominion spokesperson Richard Zuercher. He added that there are still opportunities for public comment concerning these issues at the upcoming meeting. At last estimate, Zuercher estimates that a third reactor could be online as early as 2015 if the approval process of the combined license goes according to plan.
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