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Westinghouse Set to Deliver Steam Generators for Nuclear Plant in Virginia

Surry-Nuclear-Power-Plant

Westinghouse Electric Company recently inked an agreement with Dominion Energy to design and produce six new steam generators for the Surry Nuclear Power Station in the state of Virginia. This agreement is an extension of a previous contract signed by both parties in 2021 for a major instrumentation and control upgrade.

The said generators are expected to be delivered beginning in 2028, with installation in the facility to commence a year after. These will be built at the Westinghouse plant in Monfalcone, Italy, their design based on the original F-series units. However, these have been given a number of enhancements to ensure the best possible performance based on current industry standards.

The generators are replacements meant to support Dominion’s subsequent license renewal program and extend the operational lifespan of Surry Units 1 and 2 well into 2050 and beyond. 

Working Partnership

Dominion senior vice-president and chief nuclear officer Don Stoddard say that his company’s long-standing partnership with Westinghouse is an integral element of its plan to extend Surry’s capacity for nuclear energy production for the next several decades. 

Currently, the Surry plant operates throughout the year at 93% capacity in order to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy to those within its jurisdiction. Today, it provides carbon-free electricity for more than 420,000 homes in the area.

Westinghouse’s president for operating plant services Dan Sumner echoed Stoddard’s sentiments, adding that these state-of-the-art generators will enable Dominion to produce safe and efficient nuclear power well into the middle of the current century.

A Major Extension

Two years ago, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved Dominion’s application to extend the operating licenses of two units at Surry for an additional 20 years. 

The extension will enable the pressurized water reactors in these plants to operate for a total of 80 years, to terminate in 2052 for Surry 1 and 2053 for Surry.

The first plant began its commercial operations in 1973; the latter a year later 1973. Both were originally licensed to work for just 40 years, but their licenses were first extended for another 20 years back in 2003.

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