V.C. Summer nuclear station license extended through 2062

V.C. Summer Nuclear Station is cleared for two more decades in the power-generating business.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved Dominion Energy South Carolina’s application to extend the operating license at the site for an additional 20 years, according to a news release.

Located in Fairfield County near Jenkinsville, V.C. Summer provides electricity for customers of Dominion Energy and state-owned Santee Cooper. The 966-megawatt nuclear unit generates enough carbon-free electricity to power nearly 242,000 homes, the news release said. It is a three-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactor operated by nuclear professionals under strict safety regulations with oversight from the NRC.

“V.C. Summer Nuclear Station has provided reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy for our customers in the Palmetto State for more than 40 years,” Eric Carr, Dominion Energy’s chief nuclear officer, said in the release. “With steady population growth and economic development, South Carolina will continue to need a clean and reliable workhorse like V.C. Summer to power our customers’ homes and businesses around the clock well into the future.”

To ensure V.C. Summer’s longevity, Dominion Energy regularly performs maintenance and conducts upgrades at the station, including recently replacing the main transformer, the release stated, adding that Dominion Energy will continue to invest in V.C. Summer to ensure it operates at the highest levels of safety and performance for the life of the station.

V.C. Summer was originally licensed to operate for 40 years from 1982 through 2022. In 2004, the NRC approved a license renewal to allow continued operation for an additional 20 years through 2042. With the second renewed license, which was approved on June 30, 2025, the unit can operate through 2062, the release stated.

Dominion Energy received approval to extend the operating licenses for Surry Power Station and North Anna Power Station, both in Virginia, in 2021 and 2024, respectively. The company plans to seek NRC approval to extend the operating license for Millstone Power Station in Connecticut, according to the release.

In addition to providing electricity, Dominion Energy provides more than $33 million in tax revenue to Fairfield County annually. The company also makes donations to local community organizations.

The Fairfield County site is named for Virgil Clifton Summer, former chairman and CEO of SCE&G.

Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va., provides regulated electricity service to 3.6 million homes and businesses in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and regulated natural gas service to 500,000 customers in South Carolina. The company is a developer and operator of regulated offshore wind and solar power and the largest producer of carbon-free electricity in New England.