Wayne County News
November was an interesting month for American Electric Power. The parent company of Appalachian Power and AEP Ohio made three moves that commit AEP to new power generation that meets goals of moving toward carbon-free energy production.
On Nov. 14, Appalachian Power announced plans to bring nuclear power to its Joshua Falls property in Campbell County, Virginia, about 90 minutes east of Roanoke, by deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) at Joshua Falls. AEP plans to file an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission — its public utility regulator — in spring 2025. Appalachian Power also said it plans to apply for part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s $900 million grant program to accelerate the deployment of SMRs and help reduce customer costs.
“Appalachian Power is committed to generating clean, always-on power to meet Virginia’s future demand. We are grateful to the Virginia General Assembly and Governor (Glenn) Youngkin for embracing SMR technology — this announcement would not have been possible without their forward-thinking support,” Aaron Walker, Appalachian Power president and chief operating officer, said in the Nov. 14 announcement. Youngkin has endorsed the proposal.
Small modular reactors are a technology that is still in the research and development stage. None have been commercially deployed in the U.S. yet. Their attraction is that they can be built and placed into service much more quickly than typical large-scale reactors.
