The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved Dominion Energy South Carolina’s application to extend the operating license for V.C. Summer Nuclear Station for an additional 20 years.
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.
Located in Fairfield County, South Carolina, V.C. Summer provides electricity for customers of Dominion Energy and state-owned Santee Cooper.
The 966-megawatt nuclear unit is a three-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactor.
To ensure V.C. Summer’s longevity, Dominion Energy regularly performs maintenance and conducts upgrades at the station, including recently replacing the main transformer.
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, it said.
Santee Cooper on Jan. 22 launched a process seeking proposals to acquire and complete, or propose alternatives, for two partially constructed generating units at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station. In May, Santee Cooper said it had received a robust response to its initial request for expressions of interest related to the two partially constructed generating units at V.C. Summer Nuclear Station.
