LOUISA, VIRGINIA – Yesterday, Dominion Energy Virginia and Amazon announced an agreement to explore innovative approaches to support a potential Small Modular Reactor (SMR) nuclear project in Virginia. This collaboration underscores Dominion Energy’s commitment to evaluating the feasibility of developing an SMR at North Anna in Louisa County, following the company’s announcement this summer to issue a Request for Proposals to industry leaders.

SMRs, an advanced nuclear technology, build on decades of progress in improving the cost and safety of commercial carbon-free power production. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors recognizes SMR development represents a pivotal component in meeting the unprecedented electricity demand growth in the commonwealth projected for the 2030s and applauds the joint effort. 

“While there is not yet a commitment to build an SMR, Louisa County hopes to be home to an SMR in the coming years,” said Louisa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Duane Adams. “The scalable technology is important to Virginia’s energy landscape, and we would be proud to be at the forefront of the technology’s introduction to the state.”

Dominion Energy is developing an 'all-of-the-above' mix of historic grid upgrades and new power generation sources, including leading investments in offshore wind, solar, battery storage and natural gas, to maintain grid reliability while meeting the largest growth in power demand since the years following World War II. Nuclear power is part of the mix with a record of providing a reliable source of safe carbon-free energy for communities around the world, and SMRs may be constructed off-site in modules, allowing plants to be built faster while reducing costs.

Amazon – with AWS campuses to be built in Louisa County – invests in renewables and finding additional sources of carbon-free energy in support of the mission to achieve operational net-zero carbon by 2040. Amazon’s agreement with Dominion Energy is only one of three new agreements the technology titan signed to support the development of nuclear energy projects.