Appalachian Power outlines early-site permit plans for small modular reactor near Joshua Falls

Appalachian Power external affairs manager Rob Mann told the Lynchburg City Council on Dec. 10 that the company has identified a potential site for a small modular reactor (SMR) near Joshua Falls, about 10 miles from Lynchburg, and is seeking an early site permit with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Mann said the property, purchased in 1977, is roughly 672 acres overall with about 60 acres in Appomattox County and the remainder in Campbell County. He described existing infrastructure advantages on the site — including a 765-kilovolt station on the property and water access from the James River — and emphasized that Appalachian Power is pursuing an early site permit, not a construction approval. "Just to make it clear, we are applying for early site permit, not announcement to building a project, just the site permitting aspect of it," Mann said.

Why this matters: an early site permit narrows whether a location is technically suitable for a nuclear power facility but does not authorize construction. Mann cited an independent analysis the company commissioned that estimated about 140 permanent operations jobs if a plant were ultimately built, 300–600 construction jobs during a roughly four‑year construction window, and about $20 million in annual increased spending for local businesses during operations.

Details and timeline: Mann said Appalachian Power is in the NRC early site-permitting process and plans continued environmental and cultural studies before filing permit applications early in 2025. He outlined a tentative schedule that assumes non-nuclear site preparation beginning in 2027 and construction in a multi-year window beginning around 2031, noting, "That's assuming all permits line up." He also said the company will apply for a grant in January 2025 to help offset permitting costs.

Local coordination and community impacts: Mann said Appalachian Power is coordinating with Campbell County, Lynchburg, Amherst and Appomattox on outreach. The company held a public open house and storefront hours for one-on-one questions and has an online portal for comments and notifications. He said Virginia DWR currently operates the Joshua Falls boat ramp on APCO property and that while the ramp will remain open during most work, temporary closures may be required for safety; Appalachian Power is working with the state to identify an alternate location if needed.

What remains unresolved: Mann repeatedly framed the effort as early-stage permitting. He did not present firm project approvals, construction permits, final design, financing or a vendor for reactor modules. Timing estimates, job counts and economic projections were presented as outcomes from an independent study and as contingent on later approvals and construction decisions. He invited further coordination with city staff and officials and provided contact information for follow-up.

Next steps: Appalachian Power plans to continue cultural and environmental studies, additional community engagement, and to file for the early site permit and related filings with the State Corporation Commission and NRC in 2025. Council members signaled interest in future coordination and offered to support permitting conversations where possible.