The agreement signed Friday would allow the Navy and Dominion Energy Virginia to explore building a Small Modular Reactor and other alternative energy options, such as a solar farm on base.
“To be crystal clear, we believe the new nuclear (power) has to be part of the energy mix if we're able, if we're going to be able to meet the demand going forward, said Ed Baine, president of Dominion.
SMRs are a smaller version of commercial nuclear reactors. They produce 300 megawatts or less. To save costs, the plants are manufactured off-site. Several companies are developing designs, but so far, no commercial SMR plant has opened in the United States. Critics charge that the industry has not solved the traditional problems of nuclear reactors, including the storage of spent fuel.
Baine said Dominion does not expect the company would have a plant online in Virginia until the mid-2030s. The company is already in talks with Amazon to build a plant in Louisa County. If the plants are built, the Navy would be the second project.
The agreement has been in the works for 18 months. The next step is a site characterization study to determine which technology is most suitable for the base, which will take 6 to 12 months. Among the other options are a natural gas plant, Baine said.
The project would be owned and operated by the company. The Navy would provide space on Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and North Cheatham Annex, which is roughly 20 square miles. The base is home to a number of Navy and Marine commands and provides armaments for Navy ships based on the East Coast. The project would provide electricity to the base and send electric power to the grid for surrounding communities.
“It allows us to be able to—no matter what happens elsewhere —- ensure that the lights and power (are) on across the installation and in our communities, our major workforce, so that the Navy's critical mission we do here can continue forward no matter what,” said Capt. Dan Patrick, Yorktown base commander.
Money for alternative energy projects, including SMR have been available in the Inflation Reduction Act. President Donald Trump has been openly skeptical of initiatives tied to fighting climate change, but the president signed an executive order in May to promote the building of small nuclear reactors. The order specifically mentions the Army, which has studied plans for small reactors, including mobile units, which could be dropped into areas without power.
Patrick said he has not received direction from the Secretary of Defense or the administration to select a particular type of project.
“I don’t feel at any time my hands were tied,” he said.
At the moment, the Navy is waiting for Dominion to come back with a proposal for what the company considers the most viable options for building on base, he said.
