Virginia

Seeking carbon-free power, Virginia utility considers small nuclear reactors

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2024

Seeking carbon-free power, Virginia utility considers small nuclear reactors

Virginia’s largest utility said Wednesday that it will explore the possibility of using small nuclear reactors to help meet growing electricity demands while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear power has been emerging as an attractive option for states transitioning away from coal, oil and other fossil fuels. Proponents of a new generation of smaller reactors have said they’ll be cheaper and quicker to bring online.

There are no small modular reactors, known as SMRs, in operation in the U.S., according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the independent agency that oversees civilian uses of radioactive material.

A project to build the first SMR, in Idaho, was terminated last year following cost increases and a lack of subscribers. But a pilot project is underway in Tennessee, while Bill Gates and his energy company plan to build a commercial SMR plant in Wyoming.

Dominion Energy Virginia said Wednesday that it has asked SMR companies to evaluate the feasibility of developing a project at the site of its existing North Anna nuclear power plant outside Richmond.

Speaking near its cooling towers, Dominion CEO Robert Blue said nuclear power already makes up 90% of Virginia’s carbon-free electricity. A new state law allows the company to explore the use of SMRs, with associated costs capped at $1.40 per month for a typical residential customer.

Blue said he expects the cost impact to be much lower. Dominion serves about 2.7 million customers in Virginia. It has been erecting solar farms and is installing a massive windfarm off the coast of Virginia Beach.

A 2020 state law set a target for 100% of Virginia’s electricity to come from carbon-free sources by 2050. Speaking at Wednesday’s news conference, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said it’s important to embrace new technologies for power generation.

“We can’t build enough wind,” Youngkin said. “We can’t build enough solar in order to power the Virginia of the future. We need all of the above.”

A 2022 Associated Press survey of energy policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia found that a strong majority — about two-thirds — say nuclear will help replace fossil fuels.

But opponents, mostly in Democratic-led states, cite the cost of new reactors compared to installing wind turbines or solar panels, as well as safety concerns. There’s also the question of how to store hazardous nuclear waste.

Some environmentalists oppose small modular reactors for similar reasons. And a 2022 Stanford-led study found that SMRs will generate more waste than conventional reactors.

But interest in SMRs appears to be growing, even though one project was already canceled.

In January 2023, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified the first design for one from Oregon-based NuScale Power. The company worked with a group of Utah utilities to demonstrate a six-reactor plant at the Idaho National Laboratory, generating enough electricity to power more than 300,000 homes.

But the project was terminated in November. Costs had increased by more than 50% in two years to $89 per megawatt hour. And it was unlikely that enough local power providers would subscribe for the project to continue.

Scott Burnell, a spokesman for the commission, said Wednesday that the NuScale Power design remains certified and is available for companies to consider. Meanwhile, the commission has other designs for other locations under review.

For example, NRC has granted a construction permit to Kairos Power, which is building a test version of an SMR in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Burnell said. It also submitted an application for a larger test version on the same site.

Burnell said another application is under review from the company TerraPower, which is chaired by Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. That project would use an SMR for a commercial power plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming.

“We have several other reactor designers who are talking to us about potentially applying, either for other construction permits or to have their designs generically approved,” Burnell said. “So there are a lot of other names (of companies) that are in discussions with us. But no formal applications at this point.”

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Virginia

Vice President JD Vance eyes estate in Virginia

Published

2 hours ago

July 11, 2026

Press Room

Vice President JD Vance eyes estate in Virginia

Vice President JD Vance to lease estate in Middleburg

MIDDLEBURG, Va. – Vice President J.D. Vance is eyeing a multimillion-dollar estate in Middleburg, Virginia, to serve as a part-time home for his family, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.

The second family is leasing two of the four properties at Wolver Hill Farm, a sprawling, nearly 500-acre estate situated about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Washington, D.C.

What we know:

The historic property was acquired five years ago for nearly $9 million by Chuck Kuhn, the owner of J.K. Moving.

According to Michael Neibauer with the Washington Business Journal, there are four homes on the 500-acre property which backs up to the Salamander Middleburg Resort and Spa.

“I wouldn’t be shocked if the Vance family maybe takes advantage of some of those spa facilities that are celebrated out there,” Neibauer added.

Requests for comment regarding the lease agreements were sent to Kuhn’s company, which has not yet responded.

The potential move comes at a busy time for the Vances, as Second Lady Usha Vance is currently expecting the couple’s fourth child.

The news has quickly traveled through the heart of Middleburg, a historic town known for its vibrant strip of mom-and-pop shops and popular resorts along East Washington Street.

What they’re saying:

Business owners along the main thoroughfare were universally aware of their potential new neighbor, though several declined to talk on camera.

The reaction to the Vice President’s potential arrival has been mixed.

“Well, I figure J.D. is going to—the vice president, excuse me— is going to want to play some golf, and I’m a member of Creighton Farms. So, Mr. Vice President, if you’re watching, you’re always welcome on my tee time,” Upperville resident Luke Mahoney said.

When asked if he has concerns about having a potential Secret Service presence in the community, Mahoney said, “No, it can’t be worse than the people that drive 35 miles an hour on Route 50 during commute times. I think they’re very professional; they do a great job. I’m not really that worried about it.”

The Source: This information is from the Washington Business Journal and FOX5 DC reporting.

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Virginia

Vance leasing part of multimillion-dollar Virginia farm as an additional residence | CNN Politics

Published

12 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Vance leasing part of multimillion-dollar Virginia farm as an additional residence | CNN Politics

Vice President JD Vance is leasing part of a sprawling, multimillion-dollar property in rural Virginia to serve as an additional residence for his family, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.

The new rental residence is part of the historic Wolver Hill Farm, which spans nearly 500 acres on the outskirts of Middleburg, Virginia, a wealthy enclave located a little more than an hour drive from Washington, DC.

Wolver Hill Farm is owned by a firm led by Charles Kuhn, the founder of a moving company that has moved several presidents into and out of the White House, including President Donald Trump. The company is also a longtime government contractor.

Kuhn in recent years has become one of the largest landholders in Virginia, as well as a major player in the development of data centers across the state. In one deal last November, Kuhn’s company reportedly sold a nearly 100-acre parcel of land to a data center investor for $615 million.

Vance is renting part of the Middleburg property from Kuhn’s firm primarily for his wife and three kids, in what the people familiar described as an effort to provide them with a greater sense of normalcy away from the scrutiny of Washington. The vice president is expected to stay there on occasion, though he and his family are maintaining their official residence at the Naval Observatory.

In a statement, Vance’s personal attorney, Chris Ashby, said the vice president planned to pay market value for the property.

“The rent will be at fair market value, determined with reference to the rent for comparable properties in the area,” Ashby said.

Kuhn did not respond to a request for comment. The Washington Business Journal first reported that the vice president was leasing part of Kuhn’s Wolver Hill Farm.

Vance is the latest major political figure to establish a retreat near the small but well-heeled town of Middleburg, which has a population under 1,000 residents. Former President John F. Kennedy once owned an estate in the area, while former President Ronald Reagan once rented a home in the area to serve as a base of operations during his 1980 presidential campaign.

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Virginia

Rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks reported in these 4 Virginia counties

Published

22 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks reported in these 4 Virginia counties

CULPEPER COUNTY, Va. (7News) — A rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks have been confirmed across four Virginia counties, according to the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District.

The rabid animals were found during the first quarter of 2026 in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties.

RELATED | Person exposed to rabid cat in Chantilly

They included one bat and one skunk in Culpeper, three raccoons and one skunk in Fauquier, one skunk in Madison and one cat and one skunk in Orange. Officials said no human exposures have been reported.

The health district said rabies is commonly found in Virginia wildlife, particularly raccoons, skunks and bats. Statewide, 117 animals tested positive for rabies during the first quarter of the year.

SEE ALSO | Flying bats reported near crowd at Maryland fireworks show, officials warn of health risk

Health officials are urging people to stay away from wild animals and unfamiliar pets, make sure dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and report animals acting strangely to local animal control.

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