Virginia Faces Significant Energy Infrastructure Expansion to Meet Soaring Demand, Including Up to 17 Small Modular Reactors
Virginia is projected to require a massive expansion of its energy infrastructure to meet rapidly increasing demand, with scenarios indicating a need to double, triple, or even quadruple its energy production capacity by 2050. Under current policies, the state would need to add approximately 33,300 megawatts of solar power, requiring nearly 300,000 acres of land, which is almost twice the current solar acreage. Additionally, the plan calls for building the equivalent of 16.5 more onshore wind farms and increasing natural gas capacity by 50.9%. Crucially, the state may need to deploy up to 17 small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to meet its energy goals. While three SMR projects are currently proposed in Virginia—one by Dominion and Amazon at North Anna, another by Appalachian Power at Joshua Falls, and a multi-reactor facility in Amherst County by Geenex Power—these would only partially fulfill the projected nuclear demand under current policies. The governor's energy plan outlines various scenarios, all ...
