Duke Energy files an early site permit with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a new Small Modular Reactor plant near the Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County.
Duke Energy has formally submitted an early site permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a proposed small modular reactor (SMR) site adjacent to the existing Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County, North Carolina. This technology-neutral application keeps options open for six potential reactor designs, aiming to bolster the state's power grid against rising electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence and rapid data center expansion. The utility, which already counts 4.5 gigawatts of secured data center load with an additional 9 gigawatts currently in the pipeline, plans to incorporate 600 megawatts of advanced nuclear power into its energy mix by 2037.
This initiative supports Duke's broader goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The firm recently announced a $103 billion capital investment plan through 2030, marking a 13.7% increase over its previous outlook. If approved and developed on schedule, the company projects the first of these advanced modular reactors could be operational as early as 2036.
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