A stretch of farmland along Virginia’s James River is under evaluation for a small modular reactor facility that could deliver up to 650 megawatts of electricity to the regional grid.

Geenex Power’s proposed Beck Creek Energy Project would occupy part of the Traver Family Farm property in Amherst County’s District 1, near the Joshua Falls Appalachian Power substation. 

The developer estimates the facility could create more than 200 permanent local jobs.

Existing transmission infrastructure helped draw the company to the location, offering a potential connection to the PJM regional power market. 

Construction and operation are tentatively targeted for the early 2030s, although the proposal remains in early-stage site evaluation.

The proposed facility’s electricity would enter the PJM market rather than serve Amherst County exclusively or supply a dedicated customer.

Geenex is assessing how much generation the property could accommodate. Its preliminary estimate puts potential capacity at up to 650 MW, but further investigations could change that figure.

“What we’re seeing right now is that we think that the land and area would be able to support up to 650 megawatts,” said Delaney Bolton, a development project manager with Geenex Power. 

“That number may change based on some more of our technical due diligence studies,” he added.

Although the proposal identifies small modular reactors as its technology category, Geenex has not selected a specific reactor technology or finalized the facility’s layout.

Technical and environmental studies are underway to determine the project’s design and potential effects on the surrounding area, including the nearby James River.

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