01 September, 2017
As part of the expansion project, Georgia Power and Southern Nuclear will construct Units 3 and 4 of the Vogtle Plant with each of them planned to have a capacity of 1.25GW.
The new Vogtle units, which will use Westinghouse AP1000 technology, are expected to create almost 800 operational jobs after the completion of the construction. The Georgia PSC is expected to review the recommendation and make a decision regarding the future of the Vogtle 3 and 4 project. Work is nearing successful completion on the world's first four AP1000 units at the Sanmen and Haiyang sites in China. "The two new units at Plant Vogtle will be in service for 60 to 80 years and will add another low-priced, carbon-free energy source to our already diverse fuel mix".
Georgia Power owns 45.7% of the project.
The Augusta Chronicle has a good account of the Georgia Power filing here.
The work on Reactors 3 and 4 is less than 50% completed.
"This is a critically important project for the nation and we're honored to be chosen", said Barbara Rusinko, president of Bechtel's government services and commercial nuclear power business.
Georgia Power also says it has contracted with Bechtel to manage daily construction efforts.
Georgia Power, a Southern Co. subsidiary, has chose to finish the two additional nuclear reactors under construction at the Vogtle nuclear plant in eastern Georgia, Kallanish Energy reports.
SO's desire to continue the project is not a surprise in light of the political fallout following last month's decision by Scana and Santee Cooper to halt the V.C. Summer nuclear project in SC. Its bankruptcy stemmed from major cost increases at Plant Vogtle and another nuclear plant in SC, which has been canceled. The project's co-owners, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities, all support the recommendation. The AP1000 is the only Generation III+ reactor to receive design certification from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dalton Utilities has already spent $143 million on the new reactors at Plant Vogtle, but utility president Tom Bundros, a former Southern Co. finance official and chief financial officer at Dalton Utilities, said the long 60- or even 80-year life of the new reactors will give Dalton clean and attractive power for decades to come.
