[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6097777,"mediaKeyId","2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414","parentId",2826468,"title","Santee Cooper reports broad market interest in VC Summer site; bidders to be narrowed after RFI period","audioSeconds",268,"startMs",7038000,"endMs",7306000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414&start=7038&end=7306","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414/thumbnail_7038000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6097777/South-Carolina/Santee-Cooper-reports-broad-market-interest-in-VC-Summer-site-bidders-to-be-narrowed-after-RFI-period","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097777-723d92b50f57e009235f3d01874c3d90/orig.mp4?Expires=1770954413&Signature=lF0~EC7SqGyTfOndmv~4rSjFKrhvxTeeTmWWeGPhfl3cX1AZAe2js9NMDKVpjdjC9M~OfBewn2~PqV-1Rd1PSeuo-Ntmh8mlb-QZVVCEyyp7QuAJ23fhquEXxPI36Z8VjORqhKyyBy5nd8EG2uXuaE24V8SUJ1jhaYi1T2wBGRC6OWRcr1UyozGmev8jQsNt34bsnc2wzfUjFVgzFiTR8T1Fs0VtDXLPKkYP8357FAQTnBYDcDt4jFrSGmTCYdfR7VgPdqy5IGd3WXQQS8gZS5dBFVswkbjeO0KDj7Mib8pehs6xM6d0HJbGVhSBfMyWZ7HUkAw7Zpoepj6OXgeLhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Carolina Legislature","date","2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","article","Steve Nance, director of nuclear development and technical training at Santee Cooper, told the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 that the authority’s outreach about the VC Summer site has generated broad and sustained market interest.

\"As of Friday, it’s 79 parties,\" Nance said, describing responses to a late‑January interest request that invited qualified firms to review the dormant AP1000 construction and related site assets. He said Santee Cooper and retained advisor Centerview Partners have screened interested parties for financial and technical viability and will narrow the list to a manageable set of suitors for more detailed proposals.

What Santee Cooper said

- Outreach and interest: Nance said Santee Cooper received expressions of interest from a mix of large utilities, data‑center operators, and management/construction firms. He said roughly 40–45 parties have been vetted as having sufficient technical and financial resources to continue dialogue.

- Inventory and condition: Nance described the current status as subject to verification but said Unit 1 nuclear island equipment is roughly 45–48% complete and Unit 2 about 25–30% complete; he said many high‑value components are in climate‑controlled storage and remain serviceable, while exposed commodity items may need replacement.

- Next steps: Santee Cooper expects to close RFI responses in early May and then issue a formal RFP describing the evaluation criteria and transaction formats (sale, partnership, equity, power‑purchase arrangements). Nance stressed the RFP will include explicit evaluation rules and that Santee Cooper is preparing to consider varied deal structures rather than a single sale.

Other points

Nance said transmission infrastructure associated with the project was largely built out during earlier construction, which he described as an advantage for reuse; he also said several transformers and some unit equipment are on site or staged, but noted long national lead times for large transformers (multiple years).

What matters

The project’s commercial structure — outright sale, joint venture, power‑purchase deal or an arrangement with a large data center buyer — will shape pricing, the fate of outstanding debt and what, if any, portion of the historical $2.3 billion allowed into rate base by the PSC in 2019 is ultimately borne by ratepayers. Nance and council members agreed the legislature and ORS will likely have oversight and interest as any transaction proceeds.

Ending

Santee Cooper said it will continue to field site visits, maintain a public project portal and work with Centerview to evaluate formal proposals; council members asked Santee Cooper to keep legislative leaders and ORS informed as proposals are shortlisted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","South Carolina Governor's Nuclear Advisory Council Monday, March 31, 2025 1:00 pm ","oneSentenceSummary","Santee Cooper told the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 that about 79 parties had expressed interest in the VC Summer site and that the authority will narrow that list after an RFI period ending in early May.","taxTitle","2025 Legislative Meetings, South Carolina","taxId",78666,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097787,"Savannah River managers report progress on AMC, pit program and tank work; timelines and staffing remain key questions",2896,233000,3129000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414&start=233&end=3129","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414/thumbnail_233000.jpg","/articles/6097787/South-Carolina/Savannah-River-managers-report-progress-on-AMC-pit-program-and-tank-work-timelines-and-staffing-remain-key-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097787-f15b5d469d4cd8386d3af6db16c715f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770954413&Signature=IXYh7snQF0~D~bdYhdwc3x7CpvXjxgDEwy55utSXW6kBIzMuYiFwlk2xkT3YmXE2JxN2YQr0GKl6IXsyMoKGP4n28AbD14St~KregKiRS4TcjUlMdFenv10LEa7dROgu5xcKwn3znUIlO1OSRRwtLlHzXIu5uxCM6~9Cobo1cHYhonb6rTGTOAhHcfAmF3me9TMPA7LGN8rCrqtc1wZwnKDwZEKCtkSmJ0NCHapbXicATV9gOLYxe0VWN3eb~FutEI3oBeTBuEJINv6EHq3v7Y9CUQufQikNiURonkd1Y9Ma3Xy5vEbay9woJMRyHtxTrU-WxCkW5h2R9InhNiNquw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Edwin DeChong, acting manager of Savannah River operations, told the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 that construction and program work across the Savannah River site is broadly on schedule but that funding, legal reviews and workforce needs will shape how quickly officials meet state and federal commitments.

DeChong said the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC) on the University of South Carolina Aiken campus is 95% complete and is on track for occupancy later this summer. \"Construction is advancing for the completion of the facility,\" he said, describing recent work on wiring, security systems, storefronts, flooring, stairs and elevators. He said the $66,000,000 line-item investment came from the Department of Energy in partnership with Savannah River National Laboratory.

Why it matters: Savannah River’s environmental management (EM) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) missions — including plutonium disposition, transuranic shipments, high‑curie liquid‑waste processing and the new pit production effort — drive major state-level timelines, long-term budgets and local hiring needs.

Most important updates

- Downblending and shipments: DeChong said the site plans 30 downblends of EM surplus plutonium in FY25 and that 12 of the 30 had been completed so far this year. He said SRS completed several FY25 shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and multiple transuranic waste shipments from different site areas.

- H Canyon / dissolution work: DeChong reported progress on H Canyon’s dissolution campaigns and on accelerated removal of material from the L (El) Basin and F area inventories. He told the council H Canyon completed one of three dissolution batches planned for FY25 and had completed nine of 18 dissolution operations related to fast critical assembly material the site received.

- Pit production (SRPPF): Jim Dawkins, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), described site activity for the Savannah River Plutonium Pit Production Facility (SRPPF). Dawkins said the program has reached CD‑2/3 (sufficient design to advance some construction) for the Surplus Plutonium Disposition (SPD) lines that will support dilute‑and‑dispose processing and that construction of additional processing lines to scale capacity is underway. He said turnover to operations of enlarged processing capability is targeted in the early 2030s, and the site expects multi‑year ramping of pit production activities toward the mid‑2030s timeframe for national pit production goals.

- Training and workforce: Dawkins and SR Mission Completion (SRMC) leadership described a multi‑tiered training plan. Dawkins detailed an unclassified machine training center and a planned High‑Fidelity Training and Operations Center (HFTOC) with glove‑box training to reduce risk before movement into the main processing building. SRMC representatives said site employment rose from roughly 3,300 employees several years ago to about 3,800 today, with expectations to hire about 300 people in calendar 2025 and sitewide planning that could add thousands of construction and operations staff over the next five to seven years.

- Liquid waste and tank work: SRNS leaders reported continued focus on high‑curie material processing and tank retrievals. SRMC said the program is ahead on several tank retrievals and sees the next tank closure milestones in the 2026–2028 window, while acknowledging regulatory and technical steps remain for closure decisions.

Funding and program constraints

DeChong reminded the council that a continuing resolution (CR) for FY25 holds funding at FY24 levels, constraining new starts and planned increases until Congress enacts final appropriations. He said the CR does not prevent core mission work but requires managers to find savings to absorb any new activity until appropriations are set.

Legal and program uncertainty

Council members asked about the effect of a recent court ruling that found the NNSA’s program‑level environmental review for pit production inadequate. Dawkins and other managers said program activities continue but that NNSA is handling the legal review and the sites must follow any resulting constraints. Council speakers repeatedly noted some decisions — particularly about classified equipment and the timing of CD‑2/3/CD‑4 approvals — rest with NNSA and the Department of Energy.

What the council asked for and directed

Council members pressed site leaders for more workforce detail — hiring targets, average age, and knowledge‑retention plans — and asked for follow‑up data on isotope inventories and equipment readiness. Managers agreed to provide more specific hiring and age‑profile numbers to the council.

Ending

Savannah River officials told the advisory council the site is advancing multiple, overlapping missions: facility work at AMC, continuing downblending and shipments, high‑curie liquid‑waste processing upgrades, pit‑production construction and workforce training. Managers emphasized the programs are on active schedules but cited appropriations, federal environmental reviews and long lead times for specialized equipment as the primary risks to timelines.","Edwin DeChong, acting manager of Savannah River operations, told the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 that construction and program work across the Savannah River site is broadly on schedule but that funding, legal reviews and workforce needs will shape how quickly officials meet state and federal commitments.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097782,"Westinghouse says Columbia LEU+ fuel facility moving through permitting; community engagement and environmental questions remain",944,5496000,6440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414&start=5496&end=6440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414/thumbnail_5496000.jpg","/articles/6097782/South-Carolina/Westinghouse-says-Columbia-LEU-fuel-facility-moving-through-permitting-community-engagement-and-environmental-questions-remain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097782-a88579f3a2d58594ac58bc4b232b975a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770954413&Signature=PwYeuDSfH6fPoCH~AcxviG0vENnFMrmXUYTp8LqlPJ9yFEB-QJnUThbXo75hLLGUVfXfXfsqRgZnOc81CcOv~YouYOQumiNseUzCjEGANqsXbd0UkrF2N5~gDtwfAqWjMIMk4q1y3r3Jdw7gpeHnxLexiK3a3cKuyCXk7yHtBJUCKVa0c9VfavIzbMONtuH0nO993weRspWUf5pDFrFWfTLuRs2S9W49dk9jd5yx1UcABZZgnX2CULH~FuXzrZa700mOOogLwh~nrt35JKiFAwADjXo7MSHir4EayfhKY~j2wWAbVH1-D72j9gTU0lhVEQlMyORSx~TbwxiYCveq9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Westinghouse Columbia representative provided a project update to the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 describing environmental compliance work, community outreach and plans for a new LEU+ fuel fabrication facility intended to produce higher‑enrichment fuel assemblies for commercial reactors.

\"Environmental compliance is the minimum standard for performance,\" the Westinghouse Columbia representative said, summarizing the plant’s recent activity on wastewater characterization, lagoon clean‑outs and regulatory coordination.

What Westinghouse said

- Permitting and environmental work: The presenter said the plant completed an extensive process and wastewater characterization to support removal of an on‑site sanitary lagoon and to inform design of the LEU+ facility. The company is working with the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (DES) under a consent agreement and holds weekly coordination calls; a DES permit‑centric meeting was being set for late April or early May.

- Technology and schedule: Westinghouse described the proposed LEU+ design as a two‑step dry conversion process (different from the existing wet conversion route) that reduces effluent volumes. The company said it has one public contract already signed for LEU+ fuel and has others under negotiation. Presenters said the facility will be licensed by NRC via a license‑amendment request; Westinghouse is targeting the late‑2028 timeframe for first LEU+ fuel assemblies, with timelines dependent on contracts and regulatory approvals.

- Jobs and footprint: Westinghouse said peak construction would employ about 400 construction workers and the completed facility would add roughly 100 permanent employees. The company said the total multi‑level facility area would be on the order of several hundred thousand square feet (roughly 300,000–400,000 square feet across floors; ground footprint smaller).

Community and regulatory concerns

Council members pressed Westinghouse on public‑engagement methods after some community participants said earlier drop‑in meetings had limited reach and visibility. Westinghouse said it will continue a mix of mailers, emails, in‑person drop‑ins and quarterly engagement boards and that it is evaluating expanded outreach with local schools and HBCUs.

What matters

The LEU+ facility would enable utilities to move from about an 18‑month fuel cycle to 24 months when customer utilities adopt higher enrichment and densified fuel, Westinghouse said. That change affects utility operations, outage scheduling and potentially spent‑fuel handling. Westinghouse noted that utilities must complete technical and licensing work for pools and safety bases before adopting higher‑enrichment fuel.

Ending

Westinghouse told the council it will continue the permitting, NRC license‑amendment process and community outreach, and that the company will provide DES and NRC documentation as milestones progress. Community members and council members asked for clearer, scheduled opportunities for public hearings and for a more visible calendar of permit milestones.","A Westinghouse Columbia representative told the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 that the plant is advancing an LEU+ fuel facility and that permitting, NRC license amendments and community outreach are in progress.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097772,"X‑Energy submits CPA for XE‑100 advanced reactor; company outlines small footprint and on‑site spent‑fuel approach",777,8473000,9250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414&start=8473&end=9250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826468-a530eed9fa09d88be7744ef89e654414/thumbnail_8473000.jpg","/articles/6097772/South-Carolina/XEnergy-submits-CPA-for-XE100-advanced-reactor-company-outlines-small-footprint-and-onsite-spentfuel-approach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097772-03321517227ff082e04882e4e8be01ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770954413&Signature=bJtU9Zy1uLUGsdy--hndNdEvlETR~U36XNB0IJA4lZsKBVnkJh8UTcfjANQQzJtMyqjcG4WnCjB5I0l1kP6mKB1nevO2yxQlHeZyUdLRpfotsVNfnc9Y8SraZeReYPYMDA0jF-aAWxtOrp2Ou8DMKZCyyC4yZKgYED31JqCrmtWvgW3EaAlkcfO0wuHy1gWgLDKx2gkGHOaqVqh4QojsjN58rNoQLkWpPYlpx3GSIc6tuXdWsgr2K2c3psDEzfmFdDFda9GgKh~rErv8Ydr4D6JAf~iesLxKhpqUm3RAVLCWrJ52k~iwhGI6d~oQSb0rOctRY9lCGD40sUGJkrcZOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Daniel Strohmeyer, radiation protection manager at X‑Energy, told the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council on March 31 that the company had submitted its combined licensing package (CPA) for the XE‑100 pebble‑bed reactor and described the design and site footprint.

What X‑Energy said

- Reactor and fuel: Strohmeyer said the XE‑100 is a pebble‑bed design using TRISO (tristructural isotropic) fuel in roughly 60‑mm pebbles. He said each pebble holds thousands of fuel kernels; the design is intended to be robust at high temperatures and to limit the severe‑accident release mechanisms associated with traditional light‑water reactors. He described online fuel handling that sorts pebbles for re‑insertion or discharge based on burn‑up monitoring.

- Licensing and schedule: X‑Energy said it filed a CPA (the company reported the filing on the day of the council meeting) and that the first commercial site (a four‑unit installation serving a chemical/industrial offtaker) will proceed with ARDP cost‑share support. Company representatives said NRC review timing and long lead‑time components will influence construction and operation dates but voiced a multi‑year timeframe before commercial operation.

- Site and emergency planning: Strohmeyer said the XE‑100 site design uses a compact site boundary (on the order of a 400‑meter site radius for the nuclear island) and stated that normal‑operation offsite doses are well under NRC public limits. He said the design contemplates on‑site spent‑fuel storage options (canistered pebble storage) rather than a large fuel pool.

What matters

X‑Energy’s presentation added an advanced‑reactor component to the council’s agenda: TRISO‑fuel, high‑temperature reactors and pebble‑bed fuel handling raise different regulatory, safeguarding and emergency‑planning questions than conventional reactors. Strohmeyer said the company will provide further technical and safety documentation as the NRC review proceeds.

Ending

X‑Energy asked the council to note the CPA filing and said it would continue outreach and regulatory engagement. Council members asked for follow‑up on fuel supply, manufacturing plans and schedule detail; X‑Energy said fuel manufacturing plans (TX‑1 facility) and production timing are advancing but detailed commercial deployment schedules depend on supply chains and NRC review timelines.","X‑Energy said it submitted a combined licensing package and that its XE‑100 pebble‑bed high‑temperature gas reactor (HTGR) design uses TRISO fuel and a compact site envelope. The company told the Governor's Nuclear Advisory Council that the first commercial deployment is paired with an industrial offtaker and is funded under DOE ARDP support; NRC","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Santee Cooper reports broad market interest in VC Summer site; bidders to be narrowed after RFI period

Savannah River managers report progress on AMC, pit program and tank work; timelines and staffing remain key questions

Westinghouse says Columbia LEU+ fuel facility moving through permitting; community engagement and environmental questions remain

X‑Energy submits CPA for XE‑100 advanced reactor; company outlines small footprint and on‑site spent‑fuel approach