Fluor to provide project development services for proposed Dominion nuclear plant

Dominion Virginia Power has hired Irving, Texas-based Fluor Corp. to provide project development services for a nuclear power plant the utility is considering building in Louisa County.

Fluor would construct the 1,470-megawatt nuclear unit at Dominion’s North Anna Power Station if the project receives federal permission and the utility decides to proceed with the project.

Project development activities are expected to continue throughout this year and beyond in preparation of anl engineering, procurement and construction contract for the plant.

The facility would be powered by a General Electric Hitachi Economic Simplified Boiling-Water Reactor (ESBWR).

Fluor’s Greenville, S.C., operations center will lead project development efforts.

Dominion currently operates two 980-megawatt nuclear reactors at North Anna.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Friday that Dominion has switched the type of nuclear reactor it would use in the proposed North Anna power plant, saying the General Electric-Hitachi reactor would be more economical and simpler to use over its 60-year lifespan.

In 2010, Dominion had picked Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s U.S. Advanced Pressurized-Water Reactor for the proposed plant.