Brunswick Power Plant: Powering The Southeast

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station in North Carolina covers 1,200 acres of land at 20 feet above sea level, around five miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The site is adjacent to the town of Southport, North Carolina, and was opened in 1975. The plant contains two General Electric boiling water reactors, which are cooled by water collected from the Cape Fear River and discharged into the Atlantic Ocean. The Brunswick plants' proximity to the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean allows for the intake and discharge of cooling water. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines two emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants: a plume exposure pathway zone with a 10-mile radius and an ingestion pathway zone of about 50 miles. The 2010 population within 10 miles of the plant was 36,413, while the population within 50 miles was 468,953.

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station covers 1,200 acres in North Carolina

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station is owned by Duke Energy Progress, which has an 81.7% majority stake, and the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency, which owns the remaining 18.3%. The plant contains two General Electric boiling water reactors, which are cooled by water collected from the Cape Fear River. The water is then discharged into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Oak Island. The plant generates enough carbon-free electricity to power over a million homes.

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station is prepared to deal with potential nuclear disasters. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has defined two emergency planning zones around the plant: a plume exposure pathway zone with a 10-mile radius and an ingestion pathway zone with a 50-mile radius. In the event of an emergency, federal, state, and local authorities would be notified, and they would activate pole-mounted sirens located within the 10-mile emergency planning zone. Members of the public are advised to tune into local radio or television stations for emergency alert information and instructions from local officials.

The Brunswick Energy & Education Center, located at the Brunswick Nuclear Plant, offers educational exhibits on nuclear science, electricity, carbon-free energy, and the operation of the plant. The center is ideal for middle school students and above, providing a unique insight into how nuclear science intersects with daily life.

The plant is majority-owned by Duke Energy Progress (81.7%)

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station is majority-owned by Duke Energy Progress, which holds an 81.7% stake in the plant. Duke Energy Progress is a subsidiary of Duke Energy, a company that provides electricity to 7.9 million customers in the United States. Duke Energy is committed to building a smarter, cleaner, and more reliable energy future. The company has an annual giving of over $30 million through the Duke Energy Foundation.

Duke Energy Progress completed the purchase of the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency's 18.3% stake in the Brunswick nuclear power plant in 2015. The plant is located in Brunswick County, North Carolina, and was opened in 1975. It covers 1,200 acres at 20 feet above sea level, approximately 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The site is adjacent to the town of Southport, North Carolina, and is home to two General Electric boiling water reactors.

The Brunswick Nuclear Plant is dedicated to the safe, reliable, and efficient production of electricity. The plant uses the heat generated from nuclear fission in a contained environment to convert water to steam, which powers generators to produce electricity. The Brunswick plant's proximity to the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean allows it to take in cooling water from the river and discharge it into the ocean off the coast of Oak Island.

Duke Energy has implemented several tools and initiatives to ensure the safety and preparedness of the Brunswick Nuclear Plant. They have a new texting tool that keeps teammates, customers, and neighbors well-informed by sending notifications about emergency preparedness information specific to their area. Duke Energy would immediately notify federal, state, and local authorities in the unlikely event of an emergency at the plant. The authorities would then activate pole-mounted sirens located within a 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) to alert the public.

Duke Energy also offers an app that allows customers to easily manage and view their accounts, pay bills, track energy usage, and receive updates on power outages.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines two emergency planning zones around the plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) defines two emergency planning zones (EPZs) around nuclear power plants. These zones are designed to protect the public in the unlikely event of a nuclear accident, which could result in dangerous levels of radiation exposure. The two EPZs are:

Plume Exposure Pathway Zone (10-Mile EPZ)

The first EPZ is a 10-mile radius around the nuclear reactor site. This zone is primarily concerned with exposure to and inhalation of airborne radioactive contamination. In the event of an accident, protective actions within this area include sheltering, evacuation, and the use of potassium iodide (KI) pills. This zone is monitored by pole-mounted sirens, which will alert the public of any emergencies. In the case of the Brunswick Nuclear Plant, the counties included in this 10-mile EPZ are those surrounding the plant in North Carolina.

Ingestion Exposure Pathway Zone (50-Mile IPZ)

The second EPZ is a 50-mile radius around the reactor site. This zone addresses the potential ingestion of food and liquids contaminated by radioactivity. Protective action plans include a ban on contaminated food and water. The counties in the 50-mile ingestion exposure pathway zone for the Brunswick Nuclear Plant include those within the specified radius of the plant.

The EPZs are crucial for emergency preparedness and response, with extensive planning, exercises, and outreach conducted by government officials, utility professionals, emergency managers, and public health practitioners. These zones are designed to ensure the safety of the surrounding communities and to provide guidance on protective actions in the event of a nuclear accident.

The plant has two General Electric boiling water reactors cooled by water from the Cape Fear River

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station in Southport, North Carolina, is home to two General Electric boiling water reactors. These reactors are cooled by water collected from the Cape Fear River and discharged into the Atlantic Ocean. The plant, which opened in 1975, is located about 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent to the Cape Fear River. This strategic location allows the plant to utilise the river as a source of cooling water, which is essential for the safe and efficient production of electricity.

The use of boiling water reactors at the Brunswick plant is a well-established technology, with the first BWR being introduced in the mid-1950s. The BWR is the second most common type of electricity-generating nuclear reactor, and the Brunswick plant has two of them. These reactors use demineralised water as a coolant and neutron moderator, with the heat produced by nuclear fission causing the water to boil and produce steam. The steam is then used to drive a turbine, generating electricity.

The Brunswick plant's proximity to the Cape Fear River makes it an ideal source of cooling water for the reactors. The river water is filtered to remove any fish, crustaceans, and other debris before being used in the reactors. This process ensures that the cooling water is free of contaminants that could potentially affect the reactor's performance. After passing through the reactors, the water is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Oak Island.

The operation of the Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station is carefully monitored and regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NRC has established emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants, including a 10-mile plume exposure pathway zone and a 50-mile ingestion pathway zone. These zones are designed to protect the surrounding population in the event of a nuclear emergency, with specific instructions and evacuation routes in place. The plant's majority owner and operator, Duke Energy, is committed to safe and reliable operations and would immediately notify authorities in the unlikely event of an emergency.

The Brunswick plant is the first nuclear power plant in North Carolina

The Brunswick Nuclear Generating Station, located in Brunswick County, North Carolina, was the first nuclear power plant in the state when it opened in 1975. Named for its county, the plant covers 1,200 acres at 20 feet above sea level, and is situated about five miles from the Atlantic Ocean, adjacent to the town of Southport.

The plant contains two General Electric boiling water reactors, which are cooled by water collected from the Cape Fear River and discharged into the Atlantic Ocean. The Brunswick plant's proximity to the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean allowed designers to take advantage of this water source for cooling the reactors. The water is filtered to remove fish, crustaceans, and other debris, before being discharged into a five-mile-long canal that passes under the Intra-Coastal Waterway.

Duke Energy Progress is the majority owner (81.7%) and operator of the Brunswick nuclear plant. The North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency previously owned the remaining 18.3% until Duke Energy completed its purchase of this stake in 2015. The plant can supply electric power to 1 million households and, in 2019, received a license extension from the federal government to continue operating for another 20 years.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has defined two emergency planning zones around the plant: a plume exposure pathway zone with a 10-mile radius, and an ingestion pathway zone with a 50-mile radius. These zones are designed to address potential exposure to radioactive contamination, with protective actions in place to safeguard the surrounding population.

Frequently asked questions