Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant is preparing new units for commercial operation in 2021 and 2022
Georgia Power said in a filing with the Georgia Public Service Commission that the target in-service dates for the Vogtle nuclear expansion project remain November 2021 for Unit 3 and November 2022 for Unit 4
The company also reported the project to build two new Generation III+ Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plants is now approximately 87% complete and “significant progress” continues to be made at the site.
Georgia Power said that this summer a series of critical tests were completed as the project continues to move from construction towards system operations. Closed vessel testing for Unit 3 was recently completed. This prepares the unit for cold hydro testing ahead of hot functional testing and ultimately initial fuel load. It also verifies that the pipes and valves in the Unit 3 reactor coolant system were installed as designed and helps ensure safety systems function properly.
the project to build two new Generation III+ Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plants is now approximately 87% complete
The structural integrity test and integrated leak rate test on Unit 3 were completed in succession and demonstrated the containment vessel meets construction quality and design requirements.
Southern Company, of which Georgia Power is a subsidiary, said recently that the cost of the Vogtle nuclear station is growing, partly because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Southern said the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect work at Vogtle, but it still expects to have the two new Generation III+ units operating by November 2021 and November 2022.
Georgia Power, however, said its share of the total project cost forecast stands at $8.5bn. In 2013 the corresponding figure was $4.8bn. In a 2019 report, the Georgia Public Service Commission said costs could be $17.1bn.
