A North Carolina-based developer is planning to build a small modular reactor plant in ...

A North Carolina-based developer is planning to build a small modular reactor plant in the eastern part of Amherst County.

The project, titled Beck Creek Energy, is in its early stages, and developer Geenex said environmental studies are currently underway. Geenex chose Amherst County because of its proximity to the Joshua Falls substation across the James River in Campbell County, as well as local tech partners including BWXT and Framatome. "It kind of presented itself as an opportunity to interconnect successfully into the grid, as well as having that infrastructure and land area that could support an SMR or an advanced nuclear reactor of this size," said Delany Bolton, development project manager.

A small modular reactor is an advanced nuclear power plant that is more compact and safer than a traditional plant, and the project is expected to provide 650 megawatts of electricity for 60 years. "That powers something on the order of hundreds of thousands of homes in the region, and providing that safe, reliable power is very important," Bolton said. Megan Lucas, CEO of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, said the project will also have a significant economic impact. Geenex plans to hold several community events over the coming months, including one in November.

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Source note: Star News TV · Oct 8, 2026 9:40 PM.