Understanding the reactors, generating capacity, and approval process
Today’s announcement of Prosperity One identifies a proposed nuclear generating campus at Carrs Bottom with a potential capacity of 6.6 gigawatts (6,600 megawatts).
That would be a substantial undertaking even by the standards of the nation’s existing nuclear power industry.
How large would Prosperity One be?
The proposed campus could accommodate up to six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, each capable of generating approximately 1,100 megawatts of electricity.
For comparison, Plant Vogtle in Georgia, currently the nation’s largest nuclear generating facility, operates four reactors with a combined net summer generating capacity of approximately 4,530 megawatts, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
If all six proposed reactors were constructed at Carrs Bottom, Prosperity One would have considerably more generating capacity than Vogtle.
The 6.6-gigawatt figure represents the maximum announced configuration. It does not mean that six units have received approval or that all will necessarily be built.
How much land would the development involve?
Lewis County businessman Sam Howard purchased 738 acres at Carrs Bottom in July through Carrs Land LLC, a subsidiary of the Trace Creek group of companies.
Howard has since confirmed the development team has obtained additional purchase options, bringing the amount of land owned outright or under option to more than 4,200 acres of the approximately 4,500 acres originally assembled by Kentucky Power for a proposed coal-fired generating station.
The additional acreage provides more land for evaluating the proposed six-reactor campus. How much of that property might ultimately be needed for generating facilities and related infrastructure has not been determined.
What is an AP1000 reactor?
The Westinghouse AP1000 is a pressurized-water nuclear reactor. It generates heat through controlled nuclear fission, using that heat to produce steam that drives electrical turbines.
The design incorporates passive safety systems that use natural forces, including gravity and water circulation, to perform certain safety functions.
Unlike an experimental reactor concept, AP1000 technology is already operating commercially. Two AP1000 reactors are in service at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, and others operate in China.
Is Prosperity One an SMR development?
No. The announced configuration uses full-size AP1000 reactors, not small modular reactors.
Although the two technologies share some underlying principles, the AP1000 has substantially greater generating capacity than the smaller reactor designs discussed during some local nuclear energy presentations.
Where would the electricity go?
The companies have not identified specific customers for electricity generated at Prosperity One or announced how that power would be sold.
Connecting a generating facility of the proposed size to the regional transmission network would require extensive technical and commercial planning.
What would construction cost, and how many jobs would be created?
Neither company provided a total construction estimate or a specific projected number of jobs in today’s announcement.
The proposed development could require substantial construction and specialized operating workforces, but the number of jobs, the share filled locally, and the eventual tax benefits have not been established.
Could construction begin in 2028?
The Nuclear Company says that is its objective.
Before the company can construct nuclear generating units, it must complete the necessary technical studies and obtain applicable federal authorizations.
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission evaluates proposed nuclear facilities for safety, environmental impacts, site suitability, emergency planning, and other regulatory requirements.
The review process includes opportunities for public participation.
Has Lewis County approved a nuclear generating station?
No.
Lewis County Fiscal Court and the governing bodies of Vanceburg and Concord approved Nuclear Energy Ready Community resolutions supporting certification under a state preparedness program.
They do not authorize construction of Prosperity One or any other generating facility.
What happens next?
The companies say they will begin detailed site investigations, engineering studies, environmental reviews, electrical transmission planning, and preparation for federal licensing.
Those evaluations will help determine whether the proposed development can proceed and what its eventual size, cost, and schedule might be.
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