The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved an early site permit (ESP) Nov. 20 for Dominion’s North Anna nuclear plant site near Louisa, Va. It is the third ESP the NRC has issued, following those for Exelon’s Clinton nuclear plant site in Illinois, issued March 15, and Entergy’s Grand Gulf site in Mississippi, issued April 15. The NRC continues its review of an ESP application for the Vogtle site in Georgia.

Dominion issued a press release heralding the NRC’s issuance of the ESP, saying the permit is “the result of a cooperative agreement between Dominion and the U.S. Department of Energy, which shared the cost equally.” Separately, the company is developing an application for a combined construction and operating license (COL) that would allow it to build an ESBWR at the North Anna site. Submittal is expected in 2008.

The early site permit allows Dominion to “bank” the site for up to 20 years. The company has made no decision yet on whether it will build a reactor.