The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted Duke Energy’s early site permit application for the Belews Creek Station near Stokes County, N.C.
NRC staff found that the application contains enough information for the agency to formally docket the case and begin its detailed technical reviews, according to its press release. Docketing the application does not mean NRC will grant the early site permit, NRC said.
Along with the docketed application, NRC released a notice on the Federal Register Monday to provide an opportunity for the public to request a hearing.
Any such request must be filed by April 10.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke submitted its permit application to NRC Dec. 30, 2025 after two years of environmental and technical analyses, the utility said. Duke is seeking an early site permit that revolves around small modular reactors (SMRs). The SMRs could include liquid metals, molten salts or high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, according to the release.
The permit would allow for a maximum of 2,250 megawatts to be built at the site. The 1,000-acre site is adjacent to the Belews Creek Steam Station, which is a coal and gas-power generation station.
Duke said the early site permit was pursued as a part of its risk-mitigation strategy for considering new nuclear generation in its energy portfolio.