(The Center Square) — After months of research and investigation into what it would look like to build a small modular nuclear reactor in Southwest Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin revealed the region may not be selected for Virginia’s first SMR after all.
“There may be other places around Virginia that may be better suited for the first one,” Youngkin said. “We’re looking at places across the commonwealth. I do firmly believe that Virginia will be the first state to have a small modular reactor in a commercial fashion.”
Youngkin first shared his vision of Virginia being a pioneer in the small modular reactor market and building the nation’s first commercial SMR within 10 years in October 2022. He suggested Southwest Virginia as the location for the nascent energy technology, partly because the region needs ventures to replace the dying coal industry. While he noted that it’s still a possibility the first SMR
Read more…
