Dominion Energy - Power Station in the VA and eastern US grid

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 - 12:00 PM
We are pleased to announce that our next Lunch and Learn will be on February 24, beginning at noon where Dominion Energy is providing a tour of their North Anna Nuclear Power Station.  Located in Louisa County, Virginia, the North Anna Power Station operates two nuclear reactors, producing enough carbon-free electricity to power 500,000 households.  The two reactors, supported by the creation of Lake Anna, were completed in 1978 and 1980, respectively.  In 2024 the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved Dominion Energy Virginia’s request to extend the operating licenses of the 2GW North Anna Power Station for an additional 20 years.
 

 
The ASCE Blue Ridge Branch tour is being arranged by Mark A. Smith the Director of Engineering for the Station.  We will meet at noon at the NANIC (North Anna News and Information Center) at 1022 Haley Drive, Mineral, VA 23117, and proceed from there.  We anticipate that the presentation and tour will last about 2 hours.

It is important that all who are interested in attending contact me via email (and copy our ASCE BRB Program Chair Ed Kent at [email protected]) by January 30 so that Dominion Energy can run the necessary security check and plan for the number of attending.  Details of the tour are tentative, but we will provide more information in early February.  Additionally, you may RSVP and make your $5 lunch payment here:

Stripe link to RSVP and make a lunch payment

Below are the topics we asked that Dominion consider:

Introduction- including basic components and functions of nuclear power generation, Lake Anna cooling water and dike system, role of the Power Station in the VA and eastern US grid, recent extension of operating license, and plant security.

Planning Phase Highlights- siting, permitting, environmental considerations for Lake Anna and the Power Station. 

Construction Phase Highlights- challenges, unique aspects, progress photos.

Tour of the Power Station- control room, reactor (not allowed), boiler, pumps, turbine, generator, cooling water intake and discharge, spent fuel storage area and any disposal plans. 

Mark Smith has said that he will line up some of the North Anna projects people to walk through some of the processes for executing large projects including planning and permits.  While they are unable to talk in detail about plant security, it will be addressed at a high level.  For the other items of interest, he will arrange for people to discuss.

The tentative plan is to have a meet-and-greet type of session with presentations given in the areas that we are interested in followed by a plant tour.  We can go into the control room as well as in the simulator where we would be free to walk around and look at things up close.  The reactor building will not be able to be accessed during that time, but we can go pretty much anywhere else.

This is an exciting opportunity to learn about a major source of carbon-free energy in Virginia.  Please contact Ryan Henry by January 30 to reserve your place for the tour.