Duke Energy Submits Early Site Permit for New Nuclear Units in North Carolina; BWXT Receives $100 Million for TRISO Fuel Plant
Duke Energy has submitted an early site permit (ESP) application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a site near Belews Creek, North Carolina, to evaluate new nuclear generation options. The permit includes six potential reactor technologies, with the first small modular reactor expected to come online by 2036.
The application process will take approximately 18 months, with a decision anticipated in 2027. In Wyoming, the state has allocated $100 million in Large Project Energy Matching Funds to BWXT for a nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Gillette, which aims to produce TRISO fuel for advanced reactors.
BWXT is expected to invest over $400 million in the project, which requires a 40-year NRC license. The facility is projected to create 200 direct jobs and support the state's uranium market.
