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Surry Power Station is Celebrating 50 Years of Generating Safe, Reliable Energy for Virginia.
Our customers have counted on the employees at Surry Power Station to generate carbon-free energy for 50 years.
This article is about:
Our dedicated employees have kept Surry Power Station operating safely and reliably for 50 years.
The year is 1973. The Miami Dolphins have been crowned Super Bowl Champions. The Godfather won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The World Trade Center has officially opened in New York City.
In Surry County, Va., a project years in the making is now fully online.
On May 1, 1973, the second unit at Surry Power Station began to power Virginia with 800 additional megawatts of carbon free electricity, about four months after the first unit came online. In total, the station generates 1.6 gigawatts of electricity – enough energy to power 420,000 homes.
More than 50 years later, the station's dedicated employees continue to reliably produce approximately 14% of Virginia's electricity.
Our dedicated employees have kept Surry Power Station operating safely and reliably for half a century, and we continue to count on them as we move toward our net-zero future.
The safety and reliability of nuclear energy is due in large part to the people who work behind the scenes at nuclear power stations across our footprint.
One of those people is Selma Spratley, superintendent of health physics operations. She first began working at Surry in 1980 while attending Hampton University, restocking vending machines with drinks and snacks during summer break.
After graduation, she started a full-time job in radiation protection at the station and has become a friendly face to all who work there. In her current role, Selma oversees a team of health physics technicians that monitor radiation and contamination levels at Surry.
“I believe I'm the first black female to hold this role at Surry, and I am proud of that because I worked my way up to where I am now. It was a lot of hard work and I try to set an example for the younger people coming in – that hard work does pay off.”
Working at Surry is something of a right-of-passage for members of the Farley family. Mike Farley, a nuclear instrument technician specialist, has worked at SPS for 33 years. He's passing the baton to three of his five kids who are currently working at SPS.
A nuclear power station is an intricate and complex operation with no shortage of unique roles to fill: Ashley works as an associate controls specialist, Hannah works as a process assistant II, and Seth works as a senior reactor operator in training.
Mike shared this advice for his kids and the next generation of workers at Surry Power Station.
“Stay true to your convictions, maintain your integrity, always give your level best and be a team player.” – Mike Farley
“Stay true to your convictions, maintain your integrity, always give your level best and be a team player.”
Matt Hanson, a shift technical advisor trainee, is currently learning the ins and outs of the power plant and following in the footsteps of his father, Scott Hanson. Scott worked at Surry Power Station for 40 years before retiring in 2018. He began his time at Surry in 1979 as a supplemental employee and was later hired as an electrician.
“It was kind of intimidating at times, because a lot of people who work here worked with my dad for a long time. Over time, I've been able to establish myself as Matt rather than Scott's son.”
“I would definitely do it all over again. It's almost hard to believe I spent 40 years there, but Dominion Energy was a great employer. And, I'm proud that my son is building a career here, too.”
Harry Miller began his career at Surry Power Station as a high-pressure auxiliary operator in 1972. He spent nearly 25 years at the station before exploring a new role at Dominion Energy outside of nuclear energy.
Today, his daughter works at Surry. Joy started as a health physics intern in 2013. Today, she works in the organizational effectiveness department as a nuclear performance improvement specialist.
“My dad always spoke fondly of his experience and the great people here at Surry. It was not hard to follow in his footsteps, but there were times I felt I had quite large shoes to fill. Even though our career paths have been wildly different, the pride we have in working here, the way we care for our coworkers and environment, and respect we have for nuclear power is the same.”
In 2020, Surry Power Station was the first in the nation officially granted subsequent license renewal by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It will continue to generate carbon-free electricity for Virginia until 2053.
While parts of Surry Power Station look nearly identical to its operational beginnings, new technology is being utilized in ways that could never have been envisioned in the 70's.
One team is using a robotic dog to improve efficiencies and to reduce radiation exposure for employees conducting inspections. The 70-pound robot is remotely controlled by a Dominion Energy employee and equipped with a 360-degree camera and various sensors for monitoring and mapping radiation levels.
Scott Paul, a workweek coordinator, leads the station's drone program known as the Unmanned Nuclear Inspection Team (UNIT). In his role, he reviews upcoming maintenance projects and provides input on how drones could be used to support our work. Utilizing these innovative approaches gives us another way to increase inspection efficiency while maintaining safe operations for our employees.
Looking at the future of the nuclear energy industry, we're exploring advanced nuclear technologies. For instance, small modular reactors (or SMRs) have the same reliability and zero-carbon benefits as traditional nuclear, but with smaller footprint and the ability to ramp up and down quickly to fill the gaps when renewables are not producing power – Because they are smaller, SMRs also have the potential to reduce capital costs and construction timelines. New technologies and innovations – in addition to solar, wind and energy storage – will help us reach our net-zero goals and provide the safe, reliable energy our customers expect.
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