Duke Energy, Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application

Graphic taken from public website sources.

Who:	Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
What:	Application for an Early Site Permit
When:	Application submitted December 30, 2025; application accepted and currently under review, February 2025 - May 2027 (estimated)
Website:	https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/power-plants

On this page:

Project Overview
Key Milestones
Contacts

Project Overview

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is currently engaged in an acceptance and sufficiency for docketing review of Duke Energy's Early Site Permit (ESP) for the Belews Creek Site in Stokes County, North Carolina.

Additional information on pre-application activities can be obtained from ADAMS using a search by docket number 99902121.

Key Events and Milestones

Key Event or Milestone	Completion Date Actual - A Target - T
Federal Register Notice of Receipt and Availability Duke Energy Corporation; Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application (91 FR 542) issued.	January 7, 2026 – A
Duke Energy - Application for an Early Site Permit for the Duke Energy Belews Creek, NC Site NRC Project Number 99902121 received	December 30, 2025 – A
Federal Register Notice of Receipt and Availability Duke Energy Corporation; Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application (91 FR 5111), week 1, issued.	February 4, 2026 – A
Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application Acceptance and Opportunity for Hearing	February 9, 2026 – A
Federal Register Notice of Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application Acceptance and Opportunity for Hearing (91 FR 5787) issued (ML26016A625).	February 9, 2026 – A
Federal Register Notice of Receipt and Availability Duke Energy Corporation; Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application, week 2, issued.	February 11, 2026 – T
Federal Register Notice of Receipt and Availability Duke Energy Corporation; Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application, week 3, issued.	February 18, 2026 – T
Federal Register Notice of Receipt and Availability Duke Energy Corporation; Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application, week 4, issued.	February 25, 2026 – T

Topical Reports

Submittal Date	Title	Reference	Status
None at this time.

Public Meeting Materials and Meeting Summaries

Meeting Date	Title
None at this time.

Audits and Audit Reports

Date	Title
12/22/2025	Belews Creek Readiness Assessment Report(ML25328A157)
06/25/2025	Letter to Duke Energy and Preapplication Readiness Assessment Plan for the Duke Energy Belews Creek, NC Site Draft Early Site Permit Application(ML25176A035)

Environmental Review

The NRC staff will conduct an environmental review, concurrent with the safety review. The staff will prepare a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to document its environmental review. The environmental review will include a 45-day public comment period. After consideration of the public comments, the NRC staff will make a final determination regarding the environmental impacts for the ESP application for the Belews Creek Site. A final SEIS will be issued with the NRC’s determination.

Exemption Requests

Title	Status/Report
None at this time.	Granted

Contacts

Contacts for Clinch River Nuclear Site
Safety Project Manager (lead)	Emmanuel Sayoc
Safety Project Manager (co-lead)	India Banks
Contact a Public Affairs Officer

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, February 12, 2026